Prayers needed

charles mann · July 22, 2022, 12:42:52 AM

Not sure how many of y'all were/still in the aviation industry. It was reported a civilian D model chinook firefighting helicopter went down today in the salmon, id area, working the moose fire, around 1630 pst today with a crew of 2 onboard.
With little info available and reports from the company and the USFS limited and vague, it could be gloomy clouds for the crew.

A friend and pilot work for the company of the downed acft and several of us that served with or employed with him, can not get him on the horn. Its going to voicemail, which is highly unusual for him.

SwampDonkey · July 22, 2022, 05:41:26 AM

Doesn't sound good, but the remoteness of the site may also be a factor for communications. Never know, batteries might even be kapoot. Those firestorms can be like a war zone without the bullets. There are many brave souls out there.

Old Greenhorn · July 22, 2022, 06:27:13 AM

Yes, wait until the reports come back. I am still subscribed to the USFA and get the LODD announcements as they come out, usually take about 3 days or so. The last one I have concerning wildland operations is an incident on 7/16 with one career FF from Bernalillo county, NM who crashed with 3 sheriff's deputies on board after FF operations. We have lost 6 FF's so far this month and statistically, this is going to be a bad year.
I am pulling for the best on this one. Don't count them out until it's over. Those guys are tough and you know the other crews in the area will pull out all the stops to find them.

B.C.C. Lapp · July 22, 2022, 06:31:04 AM

While we wait to hear, prayers out for them.

Old Greenhorn · July 22, 2022, 07:26:07 AM

Sorry to say I just found this:
"It is with heavy hearts that we confirm ... a CH-47D Series 'Chinook' helicopter operated by ROTAK Helicopter Services with two pilots on board was involved in an accident in the area near Salmon," ROTAK Helicopter Services told EastIdahoNews.com. "Emergency medical teams are responding to the scene."

Full (short) article here: https://www.eastidahonews.com/2022/07/2-pilots-on-board-helicopter-that-crashed-into-salmon-river-medical-teams-on-scene/

Lets just wait and see what they find when they get on site. That is a large aircraft.

firefighter ontheside · July 22, 2022, 08:13:50 AM

I'm sorry to see this. Another article says that the helicopter crashed into the Salmon River. Nothing has been reported about the condition of the pilots. Nothing has been reported on NIFC.

maineshops · July 22, 2022, 08:22:55 AM

We will put them In our prayers. I was a firefighter I'm wy for 40 yrs so I understand. Dan

charles mann · July 22, 2022, 11:47:56 AM

They were either going into or coming out of the dip, since it went down in the river. Yes comms in that area are very spotty, esp cellular. Iv been in salmon, id before as a mech on one a civilian 47 with my previous employer.

https://www.eastidahonews.com/2022/07/2-pilots-on-board-helicopter-that-crashed-into-salmon-river-medical-teams-on-scene/

But unfortunately, he was onboard. Confirmed by his father, in orafino, id. He and I followed each other around from korea in 03 to ft hood to ft riley, when i got med boarded in 2010. Upon his retirement a few years, he was the lead maint test pilot for several of newly established chinook companies.

Old Greenhorn · July 22, 2022, 03:30:24 PM

Charles, I am deeply sorry to read the outcome of this accident and would like to pass on my sincere condolences. It is inherently dangerous work, but still in spite of our best efforts and training, things go wrong. I am truly sorry and deeply appreciative of both your friends service as well as yours.
Please be at peace.