Malmstrom team rescues injured hiker

  • Published
  • By Christy Mason
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  A UH-1N Huey helicopter crew assigned to the 40th Helicopter Squadron from Malmstrom Air Force Base, rescued an injured hiker on the morning of Sept. 5 in the Beaverhead National Forest approximately 33 miles west of Dillon, Mont., raising their total number of saves to 379.

The pilots, Capt. Patrick Burke and 1st Lt. John Mahaney; flight engineer Staff Sgt. Justin Smith; and flight surgeon Dr. (Capt.) David Oettel departed Malmstrom at 7:15 a.m. for the two hour flight to southwestern Montana.

"We were alerted very early Sunday morning that a 27-year-old male had severe ankle trauma and was unable to put weight on it," said Captain Burke.

Using coordinates provided by emergency personnel, the crew was able to locate the injured man and medics already on scene on their first pass. After evaluating the remote location and difficult terrain, the crew decided it would be safer and easier to lower the flight doctor down into a more accessible area than the hiker's immediate location.

"I was hoisted down approximately 170 feet on the Force Penetrator in a slightly different location than the patient," said Captain Oettel. "I then hiked about 50 yards along the boulders and rock formations to the patient's location."

Due to the time the doctor would need to get to the patient and prepare him for the hoist, the helicopter flew to Dillon to refuel, according to Captain Burke.

In the mean time, Captain Oettel evaluated the man's ankle, which had already been splinted by the Dillon area volunteer search and rescue team, and found it to be broken. Since the patient was coherent and stable, he prepared him for extraction.

"While the crew was refueling I made sure the patient had hearing protection and I then described to him in detail how to ride the Penetrator and what to do when he reached the helicopter," Captain Oettel said. "The patient flawlessly hoisted 170 feet up into the UH-1N, and followed the instructions perfectly."

Despite deteriorating weather to include snow and cold winds, the crew was able to hoist both men safely into the helicopter from a site site no larger than 5 feet by 10 feet with trees completely surrounding it.

"The crew did an amazing job of working together to extract the patient with the environmental factors of terrain, weather and winds. It could not have been accomplished without everyone doing their part," Captain Burke said.

Once the patient was securely strapped into the helicopter he remained in the crew's care until they returned to Dillon where they were met medical personnel and the patient was transferred before the crew returned to Malmstrom.