Men injured in American Fork Canyon helicopter crash expected to recover fully
Search and rescue ATVs are seen near Tibble Fork Reservoir on July 8, 2013 as crews search for a downed helicopter.
A search helicopter is seen near Tibble Fork reservoir in American Fork Canyon on July 8, 2013, as search and rescue crews look for a downed helicopter.
A search helicopter is seen near Tibble Fork reservoir in American Fork Canyon on July 8, 2013, as search and rescue crews look for a downed helicopter.
AMERICAN FORK CANYON — A strong wind gust caused a helicopter to crash in American Fork Canyon Monday morning, seriously injuring two men.
According to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office the Robinson R-22 helicopter left from the Heber airport and was supposed to land at the Salt Lake Airport but the pilot reported that the helicopter was flying low when a wind gust sucked the helicopter toward the ground. The helicopter hit the side of a mountain and rolled, landing northwest of Silver Lake in American Fork Canyon.
The pilot of the helicopter has been identified as Gregory Walther from West Valley and the passenger as Terrance Oakley of Sandy. The two were participating in training through the Upper Limit Aviation School.
The 911 call came into Utah Valley dispatch just before 8:30 a.m. from a disabled Cricket cell phone. Lone Peak Fire District assistant chief Spencer Edwards said it is remarkable that the men had service to call for help.
“It is really phenomenal that they had service. I would hate to imagine crashing and having to wait to be found,” Edwards said. “We had a difficult time finding them with our own helicopters when we knew a general location. Even here at Tibble Fork we don’t have service.”
Edwards believes the men must have been high enough on the mountain to be able to get service and said they helped dispatch guide search and rescue crews to their location.
Edwards said three paramedics from Lone Peak Fire District and three members of the Utah County Search and Rescue team were flown to an area near the crash site, and they hiked to the victims. The Utah Highway Patrol helicopter was then used to bring the crews out of the canyon.
Edwards said rescue crews reached the men at about 10:30 a.m. One of the men was taken to Intermountain Medical Center, and the transported to the University of Utah hospital. Both men were conscious when crews reached them two hours after the crash.
Walther suffered a compound fracture in his wrist and had some back pain. Oakley has a head injury and pain in his rib cage and legs. Both men are expected to make a full recovery. Edwards said it is amazing that the injuries weren’t much worse.