ground had prepared to load the litter in a one-skid loading. This may have led to their
loosely securing the patient.
Another Hell Hole incident
In the summer of 1986, the Colorado Search and Rescue Board held a helicopter training in
Kremmling, Colorado. During that event, Bob Shelton, a member of Grand County Search and
Rescue, fell while being lowered from the jungle penetrator.
The helicopter was estimated to be 75-100 feet from the ground when he became detached from
the cable as he was at the bay door. Shelton suffered numerous fractures and some internal
injuries, although he was immediately surrounded by a host of EMT's and paramedics, since the
accident occurred during an organized training.
"The crash site looks catastrophic"
In early-August, 1988, Chicago Sportswriter Keith Reinhardt, a novice and somewhat fearful hiker,
attempted to climb the steep and heavily wooded slope of Pendleton Mountain, north of Silver
Plume Colorado. He left in the late afternoon for a climb that would take an experienced hiker
several hours. He had no map, compass or flashlight, nor extra clothing. He was wearing blue
jeans, a cotton shirt, and tennis shoes. He took only a can of soda.
Reinhardt failed to return that evening. Starting the next afternoon, rescuers searched for seven
days. Due to the rugged terrain, and sizeable search area, other Mountain Rescue Association
volunteers from throughout the western United States were recruited. In addition, six helicopters,
and two fixed-wing aircraft from the Civil Air Patrol, participated.
On August 29, 1998, the fifth day of the search, a Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182R fixed-wing aircraft
participated in the search, with pilot Terry Leadens and spotter Don Drobny. Due to a large
number of search and rescue helicopters operating that day, the SAR Incident Command
requested the fixed-wing pilot to maintain an altitude above 13,000 feet MSL.
For unknown reasons, the pilot descended well below the 13,000-foot level during his flight. It is
estimated that he was flying at 11,000 feet when...
A passenger reported that the pilot said `I don't like the feel of this.' A paramedic said the
passenger also related that they had `hit a downdraft.' A helicopter pilot flying in the area
said that the winds were not conducive for fixed wing flights, especially in the trenches.
The broken trees indicated a descent angle of 45 degrees. The distance from the first tree
strike to the main wreckage was 62 feet. The aircraft came to a rest on its nose. The
terrain elevation was about 10,600 feet MSL.
viii
When the Cessna failed to make its hourly radio check-in, a search began. Thanks to the skill of
KCNC-TV helicopter pilot Mike Silva, the crash site was located within minutes. Despite Silva's
report that "the crash site looks catastrophic," rescuers were immediately flown to the site by Army
Chinook helicopter, where they rescued the passenger, who survived the crash numerous despite
serious injuries.
