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HelicopteHelicopterAccidentrAccident
ss in in
Mountain Mountain Rescue Rescue
OperatioOperationsnsCharley ShimanskiCharley Shimanski
Education Director - Mountain Rescue Education Director - Mountain Rescue AssociationAssociation
www.mra.orgwww.mra.org
The hardest day of The hardest day of my life.my life.
That evening’s news…
KAMLER
Dr. Ken KamlerDr. Ken Kamler1996 Everest Expedition Doctor1996 Everest Expedition Doctor
““Familiarization, Familiarization, and prolonged exposure and prolonged exposure
without incident, without incident, leads to a loss leads to a loss
of appreciation of risk” of appreciation of risk”
HELICOPTER ACCIDENTS IN MOUNTAIN RESCUE
OPERATIONS
PART I:PART I:Aviation Aviation
AccidentsAccidents
Rescue mountaineer s Rescue mountaineer s are more likely to be killed are more likely to be killed
in an aviation accident in an aviation accident than by ALL other means than by ALL other means
combined…combined…
Here’s how we deal with Here’s how we deal with that risk…that risk…
Graph NPS Fatalities
Falling Falling from from the the
“Hell “Hell Hole”Hole”
ACCIDENT PROFILES…ACCIDENT PROFILES…
January 7, 1975 – Seattle Mountain Rescue January 7, 1975 – Seattle Mountain Rescue CouncilCouncil
Crash of “Angel 6”Crash of “Angel 6”
June 16, 1975 – Yosemite NP/Lemoore Naval Air Station
The The “Personal Protective “Personal Protective Equipment” debate…Equipment” debate…
““The worst part about NOMEX The worst part about NOMEX is you can’t burn it when you’re is you can’t burn it when you’re
done with it!”done with it!”
““A ball of flame…”A ball of flame…”
And what good are And what good are helmets?helmets?
The engine ran The engine ran for two more for two more
hours!hours!
January 2, 1978 – Great Smoky Mountains NP
““Cause of Crash: Cause of Crash: Downdrafts, Downdrafts,
updrafts, and local updrafts, and local whirlwindwhirlwind””
April 5, 1980 – Larimer County SARApril 5, 1980 – Larimer County SARAlpine Rescue Team/KUSA-TVAlpine Rescue Team/KUSA-TV
Another “Hell Hole” Another “Hell Hole” accidentaccident
Summer, 1986 – Colorado Search and Rescue Board Summer, 1986 – Colorado Search and Rescue Board TrainingTraining
Pendant close-upPendant close-up
Litter spin in El Paso
December 9, 1989 – El Paso TX December 9, 1989 – El Paso TX
An example of a litter spin during a short-
haul operation…
An overgross miscalculation!
June 25, 1994 – Rocky Mountain NP
The patient was not “life-or-death”
June 26, 1994 – Gila County (AZ) Sheriff’s Department
USAF 305th - Davis Monthan Air Force Base
VIDEO
The terrain condition was a related factor
July 9, 1994 – Mt. Huron, CO
That evening’s news…
Worst short-haul Worst short-haul accident in historyaccident in history
July 21, 1995 – Koolau Mountains, Oahu, July 21, 1995 – Koolau Mountains, Oahu, HawaiiHawaii
Honolulu Fire DepartmentHonolulu Fire Department
Fog rolled Fog rolled in, in,
visibility visibility reduced, reduced, and the and the ceiling ceiling
droppeddroppedSeptember 12, 1997 September 12, 1997 Mt. Baldy/Olympic NPMt. Baldy/Olympic NP
Olympic pre-crashOlympic pre-crash
Olympic post crashOlympic post crash
Winter Winter storm storm closes closes in on in on
AirMed AirMed flightflight
January 11, 1998 – Little Cottonwood Canyon, January 11, 1998 – Little Cottonwood Canyon, UTUT
That evening’s That evening’s newsnews
You Won’t Believe THIS You Won’t Believe THIS One!!!One!!!
September 10, 1999 - Juneau Ice Fields, AK September 10, 1999 - Juneau Ice Fields, AK
Flat light led to loss of Flat light led to loss of horizontal reference…horizontal reference…
Finally, a Finally, a helicoptehelicopte
r that r that CAN CAN
rescue rescue them…them…
Were any operational changes
made by the helicopter tour
operator since that accident?
The best RUBBERMAID ever!
““Insufficient Insufficient power power at that at that
altitude”altitude” October 2, 1999 – Larimer County, October 2, 1999 – Larimer County, COCO
Are Short Hauls Are Short Hauls Dangerous?Dangerous?
VIDEO
““I won’t get in a helicopter I won’t get in a helicopter without my helmet without my helmet
anymore!”anymore!”Doug Fessler – Alaska Avalanche CenterDoug Fessler – Alaska Avalanche Center
February 3, 2001 – Chugach Mtn. Range, AK
Repeater insert accident
outside Yosemite Natl Park
July 8, 2001 – Granite Dome (Tuolumne Cty Sheriff), CA
Fallon Naval Air Station, NV
Wider angle
Widest Angle
Crash and crash again…
January 9, 2002 - LaPlata County, CO
That evening’s news…
The most famous MRA rescue to The most famous MRA rescue to datedate
Mt. Hood - May 30, 2002
Litter raisingLitter raising
Pavehawk – right Pavehawk – right before crashbefore crash
And then…And then…
Pavehawk after crashPavehawk after crash
Chinook carries away Chinook carries away dead Pavehawkdead Pavehawk
A typical rescue by Alpine A typical rescue by Alpine Rescue Team, caught on TVRescue Team, caught on TV
“Any chance
I get to turn down
a helicopter ride, I take
it!”Ralph Tingey
National Park Service
Balloon Rescue
That evening’s news…
Check your harness,Check your knot,
Check your BRAIN!
Just HOW BIG Just HOW BIG is the is the
emergency???emergency???
Just because we did it Just because we did it ONCE…ONCE…
If something looks wrong,
be assertive !!!
TTHEHE E ENDND
Photo and Video Photo and Video Credits:Credits:
James BalogJames Balog““Blackhawk Down”Blackhawk Down”Stephen Boyer, MDStephen Boyer, MDDenali National ParkDenali National ParkAlan “Ace” ErdahlAlan “Ace” ErdahlFallon Naval Air Fallon Naval Air StationStation
Charles “Butch” FarabeeCharles “Butch” FarabeeDoug FesslerDoug FesslerJuneau Mountain RescueJuneau Mountain RescueKCNC-TV / Mike SilvaKCNC-TV / Mike SilvaHoward PaulHoward PaulPortland Mountain RescuePortland Mountain RescueRiverside Mountain RescueRiverside Mountain RescueRocky Mountain Rescue GroupRocky Mountain Rescue GroupCharley ShimanskiCharley ShimanskiTempco Helicopter ToursTempco Helicopter ToursBruce TremperBruce Tremper““Vertical Limit”Vertical Limit”United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast GuardDOI Office of Aircraft ServicesDOI Office of Aircraft Services
