The Captain Frank A. Erickson Award is presented to Air Station Sitka crew of CGNR 6032, LCDR Stoeckler, LT Herring, AET3 Reed, AST2 Dent and HS2 Ransom, in recognition of their heroic efforts on 17 July 2015, responding to a downed aircraft in the vicinity of Point Howard, Alaska. Upon notification a plane carrying five passengers had impacted the side of a mountain; the crew of CG6032 immediately configured the helicopter cabin for multiple casualties, charted the most expeditious route and launched into deteriorating weather conditions. En route, the crew of CG6032 battled low clouds, 20-knots winds in light rain and mist, and 1/4 mile visibility during the 170 nautical mile transit.
Due to the rugged terrain expected, CG6032 diverted to Juneau and embarked two Juneau Mountain Rescue (JMR) volunteers before continuing along a circuitous route via the inland pass with steeply rising terrain on both sides of the aircraft. Arriving at the last known position, the aircrew was unable to visually locate the crash site due to 600’ ceilings, so they devised a plan to place CG6032 in a high hover with the cabin door facing the mountain.
The flight mechanic conned the aircraft vertically, slowly ascending to the crash site while tracking the aircraft’s emergency beacon and cautiously keeping the main and tail rotors clear of obstacles. At 1,300’, the aircrew located the plane wreckage scattered amongst 200’ tall trees. Unable to be lowered directly to the crash site, the Rescue Swimmer, Aviation Mission Specialist (AMS) corpsman and the two JMR personnel were hoisted to a small clearing 100’ above the wreckage where they carefully descended via a precipitous 60 degree slope to assess the victims. Discovering two hypothermic victims and one suffering life threatening injuries, the four ground personnel painstakingly transported one littered survivor and assisted two others up the treacherously steep slope littered with aircraft debris, downed limbs, and high winds to reach the only available hoisting area.
With weather worsening, the crew of CG6032 conducted four demanding hoists of the injured survivors and AMS while overcoming a faulty internal communications system due to water intrusion from heavy rain. In order to avoid terrain and begin the transit to Juneau, CG6032 was forced to climb into instrument conditions and then execute an approach to the water from 1500’ down to 300’. Despite the malfunctioning communication system, they successfully navigated through 1/4 mile visibility, driving winds and rain to deliver the first three victims to emergency care. After delivering the survivors to awaiting EMS, CG6032 retraced the treacherous route to recover the last survivor and rescue team personnel.
THEIR PERFORMANCE IS IN KEEPING WITH THE TRADITION OF CAPTAIN FRANK ERICKSON ADDING A PROUD CHAPTER TO THE PROUD HISTORY OF COAST GUARD AVIATION.