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Hang glider crash
By Kevin
Walker
The phone rang
at work just as I was finishing lunch (1300
hrs.). The voice at the other end was the
dispatcher at the Elsinore Sheriff's office. She
informed me that a hang glider had crashed in the
foothills above Elsinore, and the pilot was
seriously injured. Further more, information was
passed out that the pilot was in the bottom of a
narrow canyon and would have to be airlifted out
on a sling by a helicopter. She said that Don
Landells was on his way from Desert Hot Springs
and would pick up my dad, Walt Walker, and myself
at Arrow Printing (our place of business) in
approximately 20 minutes. While Walt went and got
the rescue van to pull out the necessary gear, I
activated the rest of the team. The 20 minutes
went by quickly enough, and within a couple of
minutes of the estimated time, Don arrived in
40MC (his black and white Bell Jet Ranger). Soon
after we were loaded up and enroute to Elsinore.
As we
approached the city, the sheriff radioed
requesting that we land at the office and pick up
a sergeant. So we did, and then lifted off for
Elsinore Mountain. The sergeant guided us to the
crash site, Apparently the information had become
somewhat twisted by the time it made it to the
outside world. Because as we approached the
"E" on the side of the mountain, we
could see that the crash site was not in the
bottom of a canyon, but was actually 100 feet
below the summit of Elsinore Mountain. Also, the
crash site was fairly close to a fire truck
trail, and the CDF had been summoned to the
accident. They had arrived first and had placed
the injured man in a litter and was carrying him
to the top when we arrived.
Don landed on
the top of the ridge. We pulled the doors off and
loaded the subject into the back, and then flew
him down to the Elsinore hospital. Also the man's
injuries were not as serious as they were thought
to be. From the hospital, we flew back up to the
ridge and picked up our gear and re-hinged the
back doors, and then back to San Jacinto and the
printing business. By the way, it sure is nice
not to have to drive to a mission. All kidding
aside, if the unfortunate pilot would have been
as seriously injured as reported, that time might
have helped to save a life.
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