Rescuers confirm pilot, passenger dead in helicopter crash (NM - State Police chopper)

The Santa Fe New Mexican ^ | June 11, 2009 | Jason Auslander

[CedarDave]

State police have confirmed that the pilot of a state police helicopter that went down on a Santa Fe mountain has died.

Sgt. Andy Tingwall perished as a result of the crash Tuesday night in which he and a state police office were trying to rescue a lost female hiker in rough weather, the officials said at a news conference Thursday.

Earlier, authorities said that Megumi Yamamoto, a University of New Mexico physics graduate student from Tokyo, was found dead by rescuers. He said her family in Tokyo has been notified. The chopper went down after it had just rescued Yamamoto.

Officer Wesley Cox, the third person aboard the copter, survived with serious injuries.

Eric Garcia, state police spokesman said officials have notified Yamamoto's parents in Tokyo of the UNM student's death. Yamamoto was a first semester doctoral candidate in physics and astronomy and was also a teaching assistant at the university. She was in New Mexico on a student visa and was camping with a boyfriend, also a UNM student.

Meanwhile, Officer Wesley Cox, remains in stable condition after undergoing surgery Thursday at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center. Cox, who was the spotter in the helicopter, received internal injuries and major injuries to his right leg. Cox might also have a spinal injury, New Mexico Department of Public Safety spokesperson Peter Olson said.

[CedarDave]

The weather yesterday prevented an air search - snow, rain, wind and fog. The survivor said the pilot was thrown out of the helicopter as it disintegrated and rolled down the mountain. However, Tingwall and the rescued officer Cox talked during night but there was no answer to his calls the following morning. The deceased was lead pilot for the state police aircraft division. The ABQ Journal is reporting a caravan of police, sheriff and SP is escorting the body to the OMI in ABQ.

[freekitty]

How sad.

[LADY J]

Wondering what happened to her boyfriend?? Odd story - did she just stray away from their campsite - did he get back to safely on his own, or was he rescued?!

Prayers for the families and everyone involved in this tragedy.

[pallis]

From where I’m at, the whole area looked packed in with snow yesterday. I’m surprised anyone was hiking in there. With an unexpected storm like that, the best thing to do is crawl in the tent, and stay warm. This is very sad.

[ApplegateRanch]

Way at the bottom of a loooong article: he returned to their camp, then was “escorted” out by S&R personnel.

[CedarDave]

Boy friend was found and brought out yesterday. I’ve hiked that area. If you are not on long established and well marked trails you can easily get lost, especially in zero visibility due to fog. It’s easy to get to Baldy saddle but on the back (east side) there are a multitude of paths that pass for the trail and its not difficult for even experienced hikers to miss a turn.

[Travis McGee]

RIP, air heros.

[CedarDave]

Thursday, 11 June 2009 15:00

The bodies of State Police Sgt. Andrew Tingwall and University of New Mexico graduate student Megumi Yamamoto have been recovered and removed from the crash site on the mountain near Santa Fe where their helicopter crashed Tuesday night, said state Police Chief Faron Segotta.

The chief said during a news conference at State Police headquarters in Santa Fe this afternoon that Tingwall and Yamamoto were ejected during the crash and each body was found about 30 yards from the wreckage.

The bodies have been taken to the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque, Segotta said.

Segotta called Thursday a very somber day for the State Police. In praising Tingwall, the chief said there’s no person he would have rather had on a rescue mission.

Tingwall was the pilot of the State Police helicopter that rescued Yamamoto, who had become lost while hiking, on Tuesday night. The helicopter crashed after picking her up.

State Police Officer Wesley Cox, the spotter on the chopper, survived the crash. He was found by searchers on Wednesday after he was able to walk away from the crash site.

Cox is hospitalized with a fractured right ankle and other injuries. Segotta said doctors believe Cox will make a full recovery.

[LADY J]

Thanks for the update. Much appreciated.

[CedarDave]

Updated link (complete with spelling errors):

Rescuers confirm pilot, passenger dead in helicoper crash

Same story, just the link has changed.

[CedarDave]

The body of New Mexico State Police officer Sgt. Andy Tingwall is escorted into Albuquerque by hundreds of police officers Thursday afternoon. Tingwall was the pilot of the NMSP helicopter that crashed in the Santa Fe National forest Tuesday evening. Thursday, June 11, 2009. (Jim Thompson/Journal)

(Excuse my appearing uncaring or unsympathetic, but I believe that a 70+ caravan of police cars escorting the body from SF to ABQ to the office of the OMI can't be a good use of public funds. Whereas spending funds to search and save a life is in the public interest, in this case honoring him this way seems excessive. JMO.)

[CedarDave]

NM list PING!

[Squantos]

What area wheeler peak ?

[Squantos]

Or trail head at the SF ski basin to Trout Lake ??

[CedarDave]

The back side of Santa Fe Baldy in the area around Lake Katherine. I’ve hiked down from Baldy to Katherine — very steep with loose talus. Even my black lab was wary of that route!

[Squantos]

Ok done that area as well. Dang.

Stay safe Dave.

[CedarDave]

Good video interviews here:

http://abqjournal.magnify.net/video/Bodies-Recovered

[Squantos]

Yep....... Thanks !

Last time I was there was 94........

http://newmexico.org/photos/images/Lake%20Katherine-jo.jpg

Trout Lake still in the trees ?;o) or did they cut that timber down surrounding it ?

[CedarDave]

Your picture for the thread:

Lake Katherine. Santa Fe Baldy is to the far left. The remains of a winter snow bank can be seen at the far top left.

[Squantos]

I loved that area till it got infested with hikers. I worked Philmont as a teen an loved NM for just that reason. The outdoors. Hiking, hunting, wheeling, fishing an floating the rivers were my time killers there ........