CAP Talk

Operations => Emergency Services & Operations => Topic started by: cap235629 on June 10, 2009, 02:58:20 PM

Title: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: cap235629 on June 10, 2009, 02:58:20 PM
I read in the news that crews where homing in on the ELT from a SP chopper that went down in the mountains.  Are any CAP crews on this search?
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: LTC Don on June 10, 2009, 04:34:09 PM
Apparently the search is happening at the 12,000' level.  All the newsies are pretty much saying the same thing, which isn't much.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,525667,00.html


Cheers,
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: SJFedor on June 11, 2009, 08:43:39 AM
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/11/new.mexico.chopper.crash/index.html


There's an active mission in WMIRS for NMWG right now concerning this incident.

Anyone from out there know anything?
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: LTC Don on June 11, 2009, 01:16:52 PM
Some good info here, with video. Apparently, weather is  a major factor.  Sounds like the chopper is 406 equipped since they mention satellite tracking.

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/crime/crime_krqe_santa_fe_searchers_hunt_crashed_police_chopper_200906092230

Cheers,
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: BrandonKea on June 11, 2009, 02:10:55 PM
Quote from: LTC Don on June 11, 2009, 01:16:52 PM
Some good info here, with video. Apparently, weather is  a major factor.  Sounds like the chopper is 406 equipped since they mention satellite tracking.

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/crime/crime_krqe_santa_fe_searchers_hunt_crashed_police_chopper_200906092230

Cheers,

Sounds like it. I know the helicopters I dispatch all also have GPS based tracking systems in them which allow us to track them, not sure if this bird was so equipped.
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: jpizzo127 on June 11, 2009, 03:16:35 PM
Fox News reports ANG Blackhawks on the search.

No mention of our participation if any.
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: Flying Pig on June 11, 2009, 09:06:32 PM
http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S974030.shtml?cat=500

Sad day gents.  Two dead.  Pilot and victim.  Flight Officer crawled out.
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: BrandonKea on June 11, 2009, 09:09:50 PM
Quote from: Flying Pig on June 11, 2009, 09:06:32 PM
http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S974030.shtml?cat=500

Sad day gents.  Two dead.  Pilot and victim.  Flight Officer crawled out.

Sad indeed. Do they have an idea of a cause?
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: Flying Pig on June 11, 2009, 10:05:53 PM
Right now the word is CFIT.  Possibly a rotor strike.  The Flight Officer is alive, so a solid answer should come quickly.
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: Spike on June 12, 2009, 03:32:12 AM
^ Sorry..... "CFIT"??

I fail on terms like these. 

This is a sad story, that should never had happened.  Feel bad for the students family, and the family of the Officer.  Terrible news to hear that your Daughter was found alive, and rescued, only to die in a tragic incident involving the vehicle that rescued her. 
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: BrandonKea on June 12, 2009, 03:33:36 AM
Quote from: Spike on June 12, 2009, 03:32:12 AM
^ Sorry..... "CFIT"??

I fail on terms like these. 

This is a sad story, that should never had happened.  Feel bad for the students family, and the family of the Officer.  Terrible news to hear that your Daughter was found alive, and rescued, only to die in a tragic incident involving the vehicle that rescued her.

Google is your friend!
Controlled Flight Into Terrain
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: Gunner C on June 12, 2009, 07:54:31 AM
Quote from: Flying Pig on June 11, 2009, 10:05:53 PM
Right now the word is CFIT.  Possibly a rotor strike.  The Flight Officer is alive, so a solid answer should come quickly.
I got replaced on a Blackhawk sortie that did that (last lift of the last mission on a 6-month deployment).  The guy who replaced me died.  It was a CFIT.  Happens more than people realize.

[darn]ed shame about the state police guys - they do good work.
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: BrandonKea on June 12, 2009, 04:59:29 PM
Quote from: Gunner C on June 12, 2009, 07:54:31 AM
Quote from: Flying Pig on June 11, 2009, 10:05:53 PM
Right now the word is CFIT.  Possibly a rotor strike.  The Flight Officer is alive, so a solid answer should come quickly.
I got replaced on a Blackhawk sortie that did that (last lift of the last mission on a 6-month deployment).  The guy who replaced me died.  It was a CFIT.  Happens more than people realize.

[darn]ed shame about the state police guys - they do good work.

In the training for my job, we learned all about recent Air Ambulance crashes. Mercy Air 2 in California did something similar back in '06. Having to listen to the tapes of the phone calls and radio traffic, it's all a very sobering reminder that the aviation industry is still very hazardous, even with the best of training.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Mercy_Air_2_accident
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: Flying Pig on June 12, 2009, 06:10:03 PM
I remember that one well. That 412 had about every bell and whistle possible.  However, I think  the one thing they lacked was NVG's.  I have been flying with NVGs for about 4 years now.  Technology is our friend.  Of course, at $12,000 a pop, a very expensive friend.  Although Im sure that would have been cheaper in many respects to the cost (physical, emotional, financial, etc) of this accident.
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: Smithsonia on June 12, 2009, 06:54:22 PM
I think but do not know that this crash site is the very same one that gave Civil Air Patrol the SAR portfolio. In news reports this crash site has been described as being near Santa Fe. However, it is also said to be generally in the Santa Fe Mountains. If this is the Mt. Baldy/Bald/Little Baldy Mountain near Taos on the Philmont Scout Ranch, then...

In Dec. 1942 a B24 went down in a blinding snow storm. A B17 from Albq was launched and found the crash site. After several unsuccessful attempts to drop supplies to the survivors the CAP in Alamosa CO. was called in. Flying a 65HP Taylorcraft the crew not only dropped survival items but later landed on the mountain not once but numerous times. Each time they carried more and more food, water, cigarettes, (this was 1942 after all) and shelters, so that 3 days later a ground crew evacuated the B24 crew.

It is in the Neprud Book it is covered in Chapter 10. As I said, I am unsure if this is the same site but it is at least close. There are so many various description of this crash site and I haven't been able to find a detailed map, but... there's the story. AND, I suppose in this case even tragedies can contain ironies.

God bless the SAR teams, God bless the survivor and dead on this crash, and God Bless the CAP.
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: flyerthom on June 12, 2009, 07:47:16 PM
Quote from: Flying Pig on June 12, 2009, 06:10:03 PM
I remember that one well. That 412 had about every bell and whistle possible.  However, I think  the one thing they lacked was NVG's.  I have been flying with NVGs for about 4 years now.  Technology is our friend.  Of course, at $12,000 a pop, a very expensive friend.  Although Im sure that would have been cheaper in many respects to the cost (physical, emotional, financial, etc) of this accident.

darn things give me a headache  >:(
That being said - beats the alternative.
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: Flying Pig on June 13, 2009, 05:03:34 AM
I have come to almost not even notice.  I found putting my helmet chin strap across the front of my chin instead of under it relieves some of the pressure off of my forehead.
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: Gunner C on June 14, 2009, 07:22:35 AM
I've never been able to war those darned things more than about 20 minutes.  After that the discomfort trumps being able to see something in the night.  Hate NVGs.
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: Flying Pig on June 14, 2009, 03:05:24 PM
When was the last time you wore a set?  Ive heard that from a lot of military guys.  Between the NVGs themselves and the new types of helmets I bet you'd be surprised.  I wear them about 3 hrs per night with no issues.
Title: Re: New Mexico State Police Helicopter Down
Post by: PHall on June 14, 2009, 06:16:56 PM
The current generation of NVG's are much more "wearer friendly" then the older ones.

The old ones gave you a headache because the image was never really in focus and the resulting eye strain is what caused most headaches.

Granted, the first couple of times you wear them you will probably get an headache. But then your eyes and brain get used to them and the headaches go away, usually... ::)