Link Luckett
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Link Luckett (1927–2018) was an American helicopter pilot and aviation instructor best known for executing a high-altitude mountain rescue on Mount McKinley (Denali) in 1960. Luckett was a veteran of the early U.S. Army helicopter training program and later flew missions in Alaska and Southeast Asia as a commercial and contract pilot. His actions during the 1960 Denali rescue were referenced in multiple publications documenting the development of rotary aviation.[1]
Early life and military service
Luckett was born in 1927 in Arkansas. He began flying fixed-wing aircraft in the mid-1940s while working for his family’s construction business. He joined the U.S. Army, where he became one of the early pilots trained in helicopter operations and later served as an instructor at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Aviation career
Following his military service, Luckett worked as a commercial helicopter pilot. He flew in Alaska, Saudi Arabia, and Southeast Asia, including contract work for Air America during the Vietnam War. In 1960, while living in Anchorage, Alaska, he operated a small helicopter business under the name Hill-I-Copter. He became known for his technical skill and willingness to take on difficult flying conditions.
1960 Denali rescue
In May 1960, Luckett gained national attention after performing a high-altitude helicopter rescue on Denali (then Mount McKinley). A team of climbers had become stranded at 17,200 feet following an accident that left multiple members injured. The U.S. Army’s larger helicopters were unable to reach the elevation, and early rescue attempts failed.[2]
Using a piston-powered Hiller 12E “Raven,” Luckett modified his aircraft to reduce weight, flying without doors, with minimal fuel, and with components such as the battery and starter motor removed. Despite the risks, he successfully evacuated injured climber John Day from a precarious position above 17,000 feet, returning the next day to retrieve a second injured climber, Pete Schoening. Luckett's helicopter had no capacity to hover at that altitude and relied on careful timing and terrain to perform rolling takeoffs downhill.
The rescue was widely covered in the press and aviation journals.[3][4][5][6][7] For his actions, Luckett was awarded the Carnegie Medal for heroism.[8] The feat is referenced in The God Machine by James R. Chiles and is often cited as one of the earliest high-altitude rescues by a civilian helicopter pilot. The Life magazine article was published under the headline "Intrepid Men vs. Mighty Mac."
Later work and legacy
Luckett later worked in Indonesia and Vietnam, flying under contract for Air America during the Vietnam War. He also worked for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Saudi Arabia in the early 1960s. He retired from aviation in the 1980s.[9]
Luckett died on April 25, 2018. His story has appeared in mountaineering histories and helicopter aviation chronicles.
References
- ↑ Chiles, James R. The God Machine: From Boomerangs to Black Hawks, The Story of the Helicopter. Bantam, 2007. ISBN 978-0553804713.
- ↑ "Helicopter Saves Two Hurt on Peak." New York Times, May 22, 1960.
- ↑ "Men Against the Mountain." Time, May 30, 1960.
- ↑ Day, John. "The Mountain That Nearly Killed Me." Saturday Evening Post, Nov 26, 1960.
- ↑ "Rescue on Mount McKinley." Life, June 6, 1960.
- ↑ Crews, Paul. "Accident on Mount McKinley." Summit Magazine, August 1960.
- ↑ Waterman, Jonathan. Surviving Denali: A Study of Accidents on Mount McKinley 1903–1990. American Alpine Club Press, 1983.
- ↑ Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. CarnegieHero.org
- ↑ Chiles, James R. The God Machine: From Boomerangs to Black Hawks, The Story of the Helicopter. Bantam, 2007.
Further reading
- American Helicopter Society Archives. [1]
- Chiles, James R. The God Machine: From Boomerangs to Black Hawks, The Story of the Helicopter. Bantam, 2007.
- Crews, Paul. "Accident on Mount McKinley." Summit Magazine, August 1960.
- Day, John. "The Mountain That Nearly Killed Me." Saturday Evening Post, Nov 26, 1960.
- "Men Against the Mountain." Time, May 30, 1960.
- "Rescue on Mount McKinley." Life, June 6, 1960.
- Waterman, Jonathan. Surviving Denali: A Study of Accidents on Mount McKinley 1903–1990. American Alpine Club Press, 1983.
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