Day/date: July 6, 1988
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
FIELD INCIDENT REPORT
Incident type: Follow-up on Injury to Park VIP
Log number: 88-114A
Date/time of incident: 6/19 Date/time received: 7/6
Park: Olympic Location: Duckabush River
Reported by: Mark Forbes, RAD, PNRQ
Received by: Jon Anglin, RAD, WASO
Incident Summary
C.E., age 51, sustained a concussion after being kicked in the head
by her horse during a trail cleanup project on the Duckabush River Trail.
C.E. was released from the hospital the evening of June 19th and is
currently back at work.
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
FIELD INCIDENT REPORT
Incident type: Aircraft Accident
Log number: 88-130
Date/time of incident: Date/time received: 7/6
Park: Katmai Location: Naknek Lake
Reported by: Steve Hurd, Chief Ranger, Katmai
Received by: Jon Anglin, RAD, WASO
Incident Summary
C.B., an FAA employee from Washington, D.C., crashed while
attempting to land his Cessna 185 airplane with amphibian floats on the lake
at Brooks Camp in the developed area of the park. C.B., who had not been
to Brooks Camp before, did not make a pass over the area to determine wind
direction prior to attempting to land. The wind was blowing towards the
Brooks Lodge at 20 to 25 miles per hour and the lake had a 1 1/2 to 2 foot
chop with white caps. C.B. attempted a downwind landing, touching down
about 200 yards from shore. With the tail wind and water action the plane
did not slow as expected and he realized that he did not have enough room to
take off again. Also realizing that he was going to hit the beach too fast
C.B. started a right turn so that the wing would take the impact. The
plane skidded 80 feet across the beach and slowly tipped into the trees
coming to rest standing on its nose.
C.B. and his three passengers were all uninjured in the crash. The
propeller was severely bent, both wings, the floats and the float
connections were also damaged. C.B. hopes to repair the plane on site.
C.B. indicated that the downwind landing was the cause of the accident.
At the time of the accident the American flag was flying in front of the
lodge and the lake had white caps, both could have been used as indicators
of wind direction.
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
FIELD INCIDENT REPORT
Incident type: "Rescue"
Log number: 88-131
Date/time of incident: 7/2 Date/time received: 7/6
Park: Mt. Rainier Location: Tahoma Glacier
Reported by: Mark Forbes, RAD, PNRO
Received by: Jon Anglin, RAD, WASO
Incident Summary
R.S., 43, was solo climbing when he fell and slid 300 feet before
hitting a crevasse and falling an additional 30 vertical feet. Although he
sustained broken ribs and possible internal injuries, R.S. used ice
screws to climb out of the crevasse and then hiked 15 miles to his car.
Because he was solo climbing and felt he had to rescue himself, R.S.
refused assistance from at least one party on the mountain. Rangers heard
of the incident and met R.S. at his vehicle. He wanted to drive himself
home and seek medical help. Rangers convinced him that he should go by
ambulance and he agreed. The local ambulance crew thought that the park's
Westside Road was too rough for the victim and would respond only if the
park was unable to transport R.S. by helicopter. The park was able to
get a Ft. Lewis MAST helicopter for the transport.
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
FIELD INCIDENT REPORT
Incident type: Drug and Artifact Seizures
Log number: 88-135
Date/time of incident: 6/28, 10:40 am Date/time received: 7/6
Park: Chaco Canyon Location:
Reported by: Earl Hill and Bill Tanner, RAD, SWRO
Tom McDonnell, RAD, RMRO
Received by: Jon Anglin, RAD, WASO
Incident Summary
Rangers were investigating three campers camped in an illegal area when
they discovered a small amount of marijuana and mushrooms in their
possession. Further investigation revealed that the three, all from
Missouri, had an assortment of artifacts concealed in an ice chest in the
rear of their pickup truck. According to the campers, the artifacts had
been taken from near the Far View Ruins at Mesa Verde. These artifacts
included broken pieces of three large pots (one nearly complete), and a
variety of projectile points. The drugs and artifacts were seized and the
U.S. Attorneys for the states of New Mexico and Colorado handled the case.
The three appeared before the U.S. Magistrate in Durango, Colorado on July
1st and plead guilty to violations of 36 CFR. The U.S. Magistrate has
ordered a pre-sentencing investigation and has postponed sentencing until
August and the completion of the investigation.
Also on the 1st, the three took rangers to the site where they had gotten
the artifacts. Rangers are currently evaluating damage to the site and
plan to bill the three Missourians for damages.