10:42 p.m. PT March 19, 2022
Rescue 5, (N950SG) a Los Angeles County Sheriff Dept. Super Puma helicopter, flies over LASD Headquarters, September, 2012. (Photo by Skip Robinson).Six people were transported to a hospital Saturday afternoon when a Los Angeles County Sheriff Department helicopter crashed while responding to a vehicle accident. The crash in occurred Southern California off San Gabriel Canyon Road near San Gabriel Dam.
Five Sheriff’s Department personnel and a doctor from UCLA were on board.
In a news conference Sunday evening, Sheriff Villanueva said:
There’s a range of injuries, and actually some of the crew, the paramedics were involved in extricating the crew, the pilot and the copilot because that’s a very more confined space. The range of injuries, you know there’s obviously some … they’re pretty banged up, some of them. I’ll leave it at that there’s some fractures and broken ribs and things of that nature, but thankfully, nothing that is life threatening at this time.
The Los Angeles Times reported that two paramedics aboard the helicopter extracted the pilot and co-pilot after the crash. Firefighters who were already on the scene to assist the rolled-over vehicle were able to treat the injured as well.
A news helicopter recorded footage of three of the patients walking into a hospital after being flown there by an LA County Fire Department Firehawk helicopter.
Photos show the Eurocopter AS 332L1 Super Puma helicopter, known as Air 5 (N950SG), on its side in Azusa Canyon.
#BREAKING: An LASD Special Enforcement Bureau helicopter crashed near San Gabriel Dam Sunday, it was unknown what caused the crash. All four occupants of the aircraft were extricated, though their conditions were not immediately available. https://t.co/2QH8GVEsxE
— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) March 20, 2022
The Sheriff Department has been using Super Pumas since 2012 when they were purchased after being previously owned.
6 Comments
Glad they’re all OK.
Now, exactly why does LA Cty Sheriff have a Super Puma????????? It seems like they have a LOT of really swanky/unnecessary aircraft. Taxes must be insane.
The heck do they need that behemoth for? What a tax payer clown world we live in.
What’s next a CH53 and a couple of V-22 thrown in for squirts and giggles?
Never liked this aircraft. I managed them twice, both for 21 days, in FL and in CO. Nothing but maintenance issues both deployments. Different ships from different operators.
Maybe those aircraft were built on a Mon or Fri
What were the MX issues? FADEC, electronics, rotors, again electronics in field environment, etc?
I’m sure there are other aircraft that had issues…may of read SAFECOM also
Just the life of a rotor mechanic…fixin issues. Expect the newer aircraft to have issues…Lon Live the Huey!!
Concerned about the cost and need of a Super Puma??
How about 3 of them !!!
All named Rescue 5.
The County Sheriffs bought 3 of them in 2012. One is on duty each day while the other 2 are in the hangar getting ‘maintenance’.
Your tax dollars at work…..
Wishing a speedy recovery to the injured crew.
I’m sure the many people who have been saved by these highly skilled professionals wouldn’t agree. Over the years, some of the reserve Deputies who rode on Rescue 5 were medical doctors. Also the L.A. Sheriff’s has a number of Search and Rescue Units who are Reserve Deputies who volunteer their time. My ex wife was saved by Rescue 5.
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