The CCSOSAR K-9 units would like to thank Carol Kue as well as Richard and Sandy Johnson. The Johnsons made a cash donation, and Carol donated first aid kits and a K9 rappelling harness. Everyone had a fun time meeting and getting to know each dog and their handler.
The UAS team demonstrated CCSOSAR’s DJI Matrice today for our core sponsor, PeaceHealth.
The pilots did an amazing job, and the Executive staff from Peace Health was impressed by the UAS team and the drone’s amazing capabilities.
The team currently has 4 Part 107 licensed pilots.
CCSOSAR’s new Drone Team had their first callout last night. They flew over areas using the infra red camera to help find the passengers of this downed plane. Search teams involved were the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, North Country EMS, the Skamania County Sheriff Dept , Volcano Rescue Team (VRT) and a US Navy Search helicopter.
Here is the news release from Clark County Sheriff’s Office:
On 03-23-21 at approximately 1600 hours PDX Air Traffic Control contacted Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA) and alerted them to a possible downed aircraft in the area of Gumboot Mountain, which is on the Clark/Skamania County border, near Sunset Falls Campground.
The plane was described as a Piper PA-32 Saratoga with two souls on board.
Deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the area and set up a command post at the Sunset Falls Campground. Search and Rescue coordinators from CCSO requested assistance from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Civilian Search and Rescue Team (CCSO SAR), the Volcano Rescue Team (VRT), and a SAR helicopter from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
Deputies from CCSO and CCSO SAR members used unmanned aircraft systems to search the area, while waiting for the SAR helicopter to arrive. Additionally, members of CCSO SAR and VRT conducted ground searches of the area.
The SAR helicopter arrived in the area at approximately 2030 hours and at about 2110 hours located the downed aircraft. A crew member from the SAR helicopter was lowered to the crash site and confirmed both the pilot and passenger were alive and had only minor injuries. Both were hoisted to the SAR helicopter and flown to a landing zone on the north side of the Yacolt Primary School.
The pilot and passenger were both taken to the North Country EMS station in Yacolt where they were treated for their minor injuries and given food and water. The two were then transported by CCSO to the West Precinct Office where they were picked up by a family member.
The location of the crash site was in Skamania County.
The National Transportation Safety Board will be the investigating agency.
The names of the pilot and passenger are not being released at this time.
The NTSB should be contacted for any follow up questions regarding the cause of the crash or any specifics of the flight.
Attached are photos of the wreckage as well as the SAR helicopter at Yacolt Primary.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the following organizations for their work in this mission:
US Navy – Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
Clark County Sheriff’s Office Civilian Search and Rescue Team
Washington State Emergency Operations Center
Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency
Department of Emergency Management
Skamania County Sheriff’s Office
US Forest Service – LE Division
North Country EMS
Release prepared by,
Sgt. Tim Bieber
