Alaska Army Crew Launches Evacuation Mission for Civilian

Soldiers from Charlie Company, 1-52 General Support Aviation Battalion, pause for a photo after returning from a medevac mission to a remote site along the Yukon River in Central Alaska. [Courtesy: U.S. Army]

A U.S. Army aeromedical unit performed a remote evacuation for a civilian who fell from the roof of a cabin along the Yukon River.

Members of the evacuation team known as Arctic Dustoff received the mission request about 6:05 p.m. AKDT on July 5. They took off from Ladd Field at Fort Wainwright about 7:30 p.m.

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Nearing the location of the accident after a flight that included some strong turbulence, the crew noticed that the patient’s friends had prepared a landing site for the helicopter. But the medical crew required transportation to the site of the accident by boat, where it assessed and treated the patient. It then took the boat back to the helicopter.

Army Sergeant Hamilton Erickson, from Charlie Company, 1-52 General Support Aviation Battalion, adjusts his gear during a medevac mission to a remote site along the Yukon River in central Alaska. [Courtesy: U.S. Army]

The turbulence had subsided for the return trip to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, which had to circumvent a temporary flight restriction due to wildfires along the route of flight. The patient was turned over to hospital staff about 10:35 p.m.

“I am proud of the crew for adapting to the changes of the mission," said Arctic Dustoff operations officer Captain Laura Penley said. "No one on the crew was expecting to land on the riverbank and take a boat upstream to a remote cabin to treat the patient. The flight paramedics and crew handing the situation with ease and professionalism.”

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

Mark PhelpsAuthor

Mark Phelps is a senior editor at AVweb. He is an instrument rated private pilot and former owner of a Grumman American AA1B and a V-tail Bonanza.