Sierra Wave Media

Eastern Sierra News for December 13, 2024

 

 

 

 

According to a press release from NAS Fallon, a Navy MH-60 Knighthawk helicopter from Naval Air Station Fallon crashed near Mt. Hogue, Calif., late Friday afternoon around 5 pm while conducting search and rescue (SAR) operations for a missing hiker, but the crew couldn’t be safely rescued until Saturday afternoon. All four crewmembers survived the crash without injury and have been safely recovered. The cause of the crash is unknown.

Missing hiker Ron Bolen 1The “missing hiker” was Ronald Bolen, a University of Oklahoma professor who went missing after hiking in Nevada and reaching Boundary Peak in the Inyo National Forest just before 3:00 p.m. Tuesday. He has been reported as being found safe after four days by the Nye County Sheriff’s Department on Saturday, July 17.

FILE PHOTO FALLON Nev. April 8 2021 MH 60S Knighthawk helicopter assigned to the Longhorns of Helicopter Search and Rescue SAR Squadron

FILE PHOTO – FALLON, Nev. (April 8, 2021) MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter assigned to the Longhorns of Helicopter Search and Rescue (SAR) Squadron .Zip Upham, public affairs officer for NAS Fallon said the aircraft, call sign Longhorn 02, was supporting Mono County, Calif., search and rescue efforts to locate a lost hiker in the rugged high-altitude terrain in the National Forest south of Boundary Peak, 120 miles south of NAS Fallon. He said the aircrew consisted of four personnel — a pilot, co-pilot, and two crewmen.

The crash site is at 11,700 feet above sea level in very rugged terrain. The crew was able to communicate to base and a rescue helicopter was sent from NAS Fallon but it was unable to effect a rescue, but were able to drop of an overnight kit to the survivors who spent the night on the mountain.

The crew were able to communicate following the impact, but spokesman Upham said a follow-on helicopter mission launched Friday evening  was unable to retrieve them. An overnight kit was dropped to the survivors who spent the night on the mountain.

Saturday morning an additional MH-60, Longhorn 01, said the station’s spokesperson, took  off from NAS Fallon, and it provided on-scene coordination although it could not affect a rescue. In the end it was a California Army National Guard CH-47 from the former Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento with superior high-altitude performance characteristics that delivered a ground SAR team to the crash site. The CH-47 returned to Mammoth Lakes for refueling and then returned to pick up the Longhorn crew around 2 pm.

The military is available to help in civilian rescue operations as long as it does not interfere with the primary mission.


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