Although McCunn thought he had arranged for the pilot to return for him in August, he had apparently never confirmed this. In early August, when the expected plane had not arrived, he wrote in his diary, "I think I should have used more foresight about arranging my departure. I'll soon find out." Apparently the pilot had told McCunn that he might be working in Anchorage at the end of the summer and that McCunn should not count on his help; according to the pilot, McCunn had given him money to repair his plane and to fly him into (but not out of) the remote site.