Hoist Pinyon Pines

September 20, 2015
Palms to Pines Highway
2015-037

Written by Eric Holden

Ray Weden and I had just finished mission 2015-036 and were landing to Hemet-Ryan airfield when we heard over the radio that we had another missing hiker. After the Star 9 crew gathered some information from dispatch we found we had a lost male hiker in the Pinyon Pines area. He was hiking on the Sawmill trail but somehow got lost and had no flashlight. He could see highway 74 from his location however.

Ray gave me his good wishes and let me take this one. It was a nice flight out and the subject was quickly spotted from the air. Technical Flight Officer (TFO) Ray Heirs and Pilot Chad Marlett were able to lower me to within about 5 feet from the subject. With cactus everywhere, I was perfectly place and did not land in any. A quick talk with the subject and he was being airlifted out in a scream suit. After Star 9 dropped him off they came back for me and finally we had an uneventful flight back to the airport. A quick and easy mission thanks to the experts with the Riverside Sheriffs Aviation Unit.

RMRU Members Involved: Eric Holden.

Sheriff's Aviation: (Pilot – Chad Marlett) (TFO – Raymond Hiers).

Tin