Boswell wrote letter supporting Air Force pilot in Kinnick flyover

U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell intervened in an Air Force probe of a pilot who led a dangerously low military flyover above Kinnick Stadium, telling the investigating officer the airman acted appropriately and should not have his "outstanding career and service" ruined by the case, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

Boswell said in his Dec. 13 letter that he was writing to support Maj. Christopher Kopacek after speaking with him and reviewing clips of the Nov. 20 flyover before Iowa played Ohio State in football. Boswell, a Des Moines Democrat, was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot and aviation instructor before and during the Vietnam War.

An Air Force investigation concluded days later the four-jet formation led by Kopacek was at an altitude 176 feet, far below the 1,000-foot required minimum, and cleared the scoreboard by 58 feet. Kopacek's superior said the flyover put four pilots and thousands of spectators in danger. Air Force records show that Kopacek, an experienced fighter pilot and instructor, previously had been written up for poor leadership, performance and instruction but was deemed qualified to lead the flyover.

Boswell urged investigating officer Lt. Col. Andrew Hamann to accept Kopacek's explanation that he flew too low because he was trying to avoid other air traffic.

"As a retired United States Army Helicopter Pilot, commander and instructor on aviation, I value his opinion tremendously," Boswell wrote in the letter, which turned up in a batch of documents the Air Force released this week to AP under the Freedom of Information Act. "I have reviewed the video footage of the flyover and see no aircraft out of formation or distressed because of the altitude. I was also informed there were other issues that the pilot had to make a quick decision to change his altitude level. We believe Major Kopacek made the most safe possible altitude change for a successful flyover."

Kopacek, 35, who grew up in Boswell's district in Ankeny and whose parents still live in the area, told investigators he started to descend after learning two planes had taken off from the nearby Iowa City airport without clearance and was warned one of them could be a factor. He said he lost track of his altitude while trying to maneuver and didn't mean to fly that low.

The Air Force investigation found that Kopacek continued to descend after an air traffic controller told him traffic was no longer an issue, practiced the flyover at low altitudes the day before, failed to tell the other pilots of a target altitude before the flight, and afterward did not notify his chain of command of problems.

Boswell wrote that Kopacek "had an exemplary career in the Air Force" over 10 years and took great pride in his service. He said it would be "very unsettling to see his reputation as an outstanding pilot in jeopardy by this flyover event."

"Please consider this man's outstanding career and service to our country as well as his future career outside of the United States Air Force," Boswell wrote.

Boswell aide Ted Tran emailed the letter as an attachment to Hamann and copied in Col. Russell Mack, the commander of the 71st Flying Training Wing, of which Kopacek was a member. Mack then forwarded the letter to the wing's staff judge advocate.

Mack accepted Hamann's investigative report days later and the investigation was closed Dec. 20. Under a legal agreement reached with Kopacek last month, the Air Force fined Kopacek and took away his ability to fly military aircraft. The deal allowed Kopacek to follow through with plans to retire rather than face a court martial.

At the time of the letter, Boswell was an outgoing member of the House Armed Services Committee, where he served on the subcommittee that oversaw Air Force acquisition programs.

"We did get Rep. Boswell's letter, and the Wing leadership read it and took his notes into account," said wing spokeswoman 1st Lt. Katie Roling.

Boswell was in meetings Tuesday and Wednesday and unavailable for an interview, spokeswoman Jane Slusark said. She released a statement saying the congressman agreed "to act as an advocate for a constituent" but could not discuss specifics of the case.

"The Congressman feels strongly about the men and women who serve our country, and believes in his heart that the soldiers who defend our country would never intentionally endanger the public they serve at home and abroad," she wrote.