CLEAR LAKE, Maine — A Maine Warden Service pilot died in the line of duty March 24 when his plane crashed into Clear Lake in northern Piscataquis County, just south of the border with Aroostook County.
Maine Warden Service (MWS) Pilot Daryl Gordon, a 25-year veteran of the law enforcement agency, was reported as missing at 8 p.m. on March 24 by his wife Rita when the he did not return home to Eagle Lake after a day on patrol. Gordon was one of the state’s three MWS pilots, and he was stationed at the Eagle Lake seaplane base in Aroostook County.
“Routinely Maine game wardens put their lives on the line in dangerous conditions. People only hear about it when tragedies occur,” said MWS Col. Joel Wilkinson in a statement. “A tragedy now has hit our home and the Gordon home.”
Once Rita Gordon made the call, game wardens went right into action to try to find their colleague. After numerous law agencies flew into the remote area, Gordon’s plan was located at about 8:50 a.m. on Friday, March 25 on Clear Lake when a ping from an aircraft emergency locator transmitter was picked up by a Maine Forest Service helicopter and a Civil Air Patrol plane.
During the day on March 24 Gordon was at the MWS seaplane base in Greenville, where he dropped off his plane for scheduled maintenance. He departed in another MWS plane at approximately 2 p.m.
Gordon was flying general patrol north of Moosehead Lake, which consists of providing support and information to wardens on the ground and surveying the area for deer. During the patrol he received information that Warden Andrew Smart was stuck with his snowmobile in deep slush on Eagle Lake.
Gordon located Smart and landed to provide necessary assistance. Both flew to another location where they retrieved a come-along in order to free the snowmobile. Upon freeing it, Smart and Gordon parted ways. Gordon was last seen by Smart as he flew up the lake in the direction of his home base. Smart described the area as experiencing snow squalls as Gordon flew away.
He was flying a red 1981 185 Cessna on skis, which allowed him to land on frozen surfaces. The plane was equipped with two locating devices. The first was a Web-based satellite tracking device that is present on all state planes, which permits public safety dispatchers to monitor their location for emergency calls. The second locating device was an emergency locator transmitter (ELT), which transmits a radio signal in the event of a crash.
The last information provided by the satellite tracking device confirmed Gordon was in the area of Eagle Lake, where he assisted Smart. There had been no signal detected from the ELT.
Two Maine Warden Service planes and a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) – Houlton Air Branch plane responded to search for Gordon. One of the MWS planes and the CBP Cessna are equipped with a forward looking infrared device. They flew until approximately 3 a.m. on March 25 after no evidence of Gordon’s whereabouts was located the night before.
Search efforts resumed at 7 a.m. with a MWS incident command team leading the search from Ashland and Presque Isle. Dozens of game wardens and eight aircraft also were deployed, including two MWS aircraft, two Civil Air Patrol aircraft, a CBP helicopter, two Department of Conservation (DOC) helicopters, one DOC fixed wing aircraft, and a U.S. Border Patrol helicopter. Search efforts also were supported by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Department of Public Safety. CBP and the Maine Forest Service brought investigators to the scene.
“I am deeply saddened to learn about the death of Daryl Gordon, “ Maine Governor Paul LePage said in a statement. “During his 25 years of service Daryl touched the lives of countless families as a search and rescue pilot bringing lost loved ones back to safety. He will be remembered for his untiring dedication and service to our State. My most sincere condolences go out to Daryl’s family during this difficult time. Daryl will also be greatly missed by his comrades at the Maine Game Warden Service and my thoughts are with those who had the opportunity to work with him through the years.”
A joint investigation is being conducted by the MWS, the Maine State Police, the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board.
Gordon’s body will be brought to the Maine Medical Examiner’s Office in Augusta for an autopsy. Wardens will remain with their colleague until his funeral service is completed. He is survived by his wife Rita and two sons, Daryl Jr. and James III.
Gordon was a veteran of the MWS, serving as a game warden for 25 years and as a warden pilot for seven years. He had more than 12 years’ experience as a pilot. He joined in February 1986, and was first assigned to Calais. Throughout his career, he was assigned to Lincoln, Skowhegan and Bingham before being promoted to pilot in June 2004.
A 1968 graduate of Hartland Academy, Gordon served 18 months of active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps, with 12 of those months in Vietnam where he was promoted to corporal and platoon commander and in charge of 12 Marines and 25 Vietnamese troops.
His MWS accomplishments include an Exemplary Service Award in 2009. The northern division awards board, in its nomination report, said, “Warden Pilot Gordon shows his dedication throughout the year, whether it is in helping with routine patrol or specific details. He is always thinking of the wardens on the ground and how he can help them. His ability to be a team player, his initiative, quick thinking and training, reflects upon the inherent quality, dedication and support of the Maine Warden Service and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Gordon is the 83rd Maine law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty. The last officer to die was Androscoggin Deputy Sheriff David Rancourt, who suffered a heart attack when diving in the Androscoggin River for evidence in November of 2006.
Wardens now have 15 members who have died in the line of duty in the service’s 130-year-history – the most of any Maine law enforcement agency. The 83 officers will be honored on May 19 at the annual observance at the Maine Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Augusta.
In remembrance and honor of Gordon, the governor has directed that the United States flag and the State of Maine flag be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset Wednesday, March 30.
A law enforcement funeral will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, at the Augusta Civic Center with a graveside service held 6 p.m. at Maloon Cemetery, Saint Albans. Arrangements are by Crosby & Neal, of Newport. Those who wish may leave written condolences at www.CrosbyNeal.com.
