HelicopteHelicopterAccidentrAccident

ss in in

Mountain Mountain Rescue Rescue

OperatioOperationsns

Charley ShimanskiCharley ShimanskiEducation Director - Mountain Rescue Education Director - Mountain Rescue

AssociationAssociationwww.mra.orgwww.mra.org

The hardest day of The hardest day of my life.my life.

That evening’s news…That evening’s news…

KAMLER

Dr. Ken KamlerDr. Ken Kamler

1996 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

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

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 NPJanuary 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 PasoLitter 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!An overgross

miscalculation!

June 25, 1994 – Rocky Mountain NPJune 25, 1994 – Rocky Mountain NP

The patient was not “life-or-death”

The patient was not “life-or-death”

June 26, 1994 – Gila County (AZ) Sheriff’s Department

USAF 305th - Davis Monthan Air Force Base

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, COJuly 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

droppeddropped

September 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

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?

Were any operational changes

made by the helicopter tour

operator since that accident?

The best RUBBERMAID ever!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 February 3, 2001 – Chugach Mtn. Range, AK

Repeater insert accident

outside Yosemite Natl Park

Repeater insert accident

outside Yosemite Natl Park

July 8, 2001 – Granite Dome (Tuolumne Cty Sheriff), CA

Fallon Naval Air Station, NV

July 8, 2001 – Granite Dome (Tuolumne Cty Sheriff), CA

Fallon Naval Air Station, NV

Wider angle

Widest Angle

Crash and crash again…Crash and crash again…

January 9, 2002 - LaPlata County, COJanuary 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…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

“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!

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 !!!

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