40th HS records save number 394

by Airman 1st Class Cortney Paxton
341st Missile Wing Public Affairs

7/18/2012 - MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- A UH-1N Huey helicopter crew assigned to the 40th Helicopter Squadron recorded the unit's 394th save when they rescued an injured hiker on the west side of Peterson Lake, about 20 miles southwest of Missoula, Mont., July 8.

The crew consisted of Capt. Zach Minner, aircraft commander/pilot; 1st Lt. Jason Pettengill, co-pilot; and Staff Sgts. Nate Bever and Michael Frank, flight engineers.

"We were alerted by a phone call [the night before]," said Frank. "I felt confident going into it because this wasn't my first [SAR]."

Unlike Frank, this was Pettengill's first time participating in a search and rescue mission.

"It felt great being able to go out and help someone," he said.

A 25-year-old man was hiking when he fell 50 feet and sustained injuries to his spinal column, pelvis, ribs and head. After the Missoula Search and Rescue team found the man and was unable to evacuate him via ground egress, a call was made to Malmstrom requesting a helicopter with hoisting capabilities.

"When we got approval from the wing commander, we launched," Pettengill said. "Everyone was feeling pretty good going into it. Just the opportunity to help the survivor himself as well as the Missoula Search and Rescue team was fulfilling."

The crew was off the ground and on their way by 7:40 a.m. Following the 20 minutes it took them to reach the location, the crew had the man extracted within 25 minutes using a hoist and stokes litter.

"The only complication we had was high terrain all around with some widow-maker trees so we had to make sure to stay away from those," Pettengill said. "And then because of the high heat we lost some power; but other than that it went pretty smoothly."

After the injured man was safely secured in the aircraft, the crew flew 15 minutes to St. Patrick's Hospital in Missoula where he received further medical attention.

The SAR was successful because of the crew, said Frank. Without proper teamwork and dedication, the search and rescue mission could not have been completed.

"As a crew we were conservative and safe, making us able to successfully execute the mission," Pettengill said.