Iron Complex Chopper Crash

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scannerboy02

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The helicopter was carrying firefighters when it crashed last night near Junction City. Four firefighters are in critical condition at the Mercy Medical Center in Redding. The U.S. Forest Service does not know exactly how many people were on board. The helicopter was being used to fight the Iron Complex fire in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. There is a news conference scheduled for 10am this morning.
 

scannerboy02

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JUNCTION CITY, Calif. - Four firefighters are hospitalized
after they were badly injured when their helicopter went down while
fighting a wildfire in Northern California.
Shasta-Trinity National Forest spokesman Mike Odle says two of
the firefighters are in critical condition at the University of
California Medical Center in Sacramento. Two others are in serious
condition at Mercy Medical Center in Redding.
They were injured when their Sikorsky S-61 helicopter crashed
Tuesday night near the north end of a nearly 25-square-mile fire
burning in Trinity County. The crash was about 15 miles northwest
of Junction City, west of Redding.
Odle says it's unclear whether any others were aboard the
helicopter. A crash investigation team is heading to the site
today.
 

scannerboy02

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USFS press conference will now start at 11:30am. They are saying they may have upto 9 people still missing from the chopper. The only way to get to the scene is to fly in.
 

scannerboy02

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News Release
US Forest Service

Shasta-Trinity National Forest

Contact: Mike Odle
530-226-2494

Helicopter crash on Shasta-Trinity National Forest
REDDING, Calif. (August 5, 2008) – A Sikorsky S-61 helicopter assigned to the Iron Complex on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest crashed this evening on the north end of the Buckhorn Fire, approximately 15 miles northwest of Junction City, Calif.

Forest Service officials first learned of the accident at approximately 7:45 p.m.

Four fire personnel were transported to Mercy Medical Center Redding and are listed in critical condition. Officials still have not confirmed the number of persons on board the helicopter. There are no known fatalities at this time.

A U.S. Forest Service Accident Investigation Team will be ordered tomorrow.

The Forest Service will hold a press conference tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the USDA Service Center, 3644 Avtech Parkway, Redding, Calif.

#
 

scannerboy02

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Statement From Bob Madden, Director of Corporate Development Carson Helicopters, Inc.

Our team is in route and should be arriving at the scene shortly. We're just participating in this investigation with the NTSB as well.

One pilot is in the hospital with serious burn injuries (he's from Oregon). We also had a co-pilot that's so far unaccounted for (he's from Oregon as well).

"We're concerned for the folks who are missing, we're not quite sure what that number is. We're waiting to get information from the USFS."

"We have a large fleet of S61's , we fight fires all over the world. We don't know what occurred. We haven't examined the aircraft yet.

We've never had a copter go down due to firefighting efforts."
 

scannerboy02

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From Ian Gregor , Federal Aviation Administration

7:30pm last night a sikorsky helciopter (tail #N612AZ) crashed under unknown circumstances. It's believed there were 13 people on board, 2 crew members and 11 firefighters. Of those people 4 were critically burned and 9 are missing and presumed dead. The helicopter burned. FAA and NTSB are investigating.
 

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Shasta-Trinity National Forest Supervisor Sharon Heywood
Crash of contract helicopter
August 6, 2008
I would like to extend a very special heartfelt thank you to the employees of the Forest Service, Trinity County Sheriff's Department, Mercy Medical Center and staff for all their support and efforts in this very trying situation.
This is what we can confirm at this time:
" At approximately 7:45 p.m. last night, Forest Service officials were notified that a Sikorsky S-61 contract helicopter assigned to the Iron Complex on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest crashed.
" Four fire personnel were airlifted to Mercy Medical Center and arrived at approximately 9:30 p.m. Two fire personnel, one of which is the pilot of the helicopter, were air lifted to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. This morning at about 8 a.m. a third individual was air lifted to UC Davis Medical Center
" At this time:
o The first individual, identified as the Pilot, is located at UC Davis Medical Center in serious condition
o A second contract firefighter is located at UC Davis Medical Center in critical condition
o A third contract firefighter is located at UC Davis Medical Center in serious condition
o A fourth contract firefighter remains at Mercy Medical Center Redding and is listed in serious, but stable condition.
" I ask the public to join me in our thoughts and prayers for the fire personnel, family and friends.
" We still have people unaccounted for and we are working in close cooperation with the Trinity County Sheriff's Department. The location of the incident is within the Trinity Alps Wilderness. This area is step, remote and rugged and difficult to access.
" The helicopter went down on the north end of the Buckhorn Fire, approximately 15 miles northwest of Junction City, Calif.
" We can confirm the helicopter was shuttling fire crews.
" The helicopter is a contract helicopter registered to Carson Helicopters with offices in Grants Pass, Ore. and Perkasie, Penn.
" The National Safety Transportation Board has the lead investigative authority over the incident. From this point forward the NTSB will be the lead agency. Any information related to the circumstances of the helicopter accident will be released by the NTSB.
I'd like to thank our extended fire service family, as well as police and public service agencies and the public, your support means a lot to us, especially at this time.
We will continue to aggressively fight all fires on the forest, while working to provide for firefighter safety.
 
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