Sikorsky S-61N helicopter operated by Carson.Last week a judge granted an early release from prison for Steven Metheny, the former Vice President of Carson Helicopters. Mr. Metheny’s falsification of records and other illegal acts led to the overloading of a helicopter that crashed while attempting to take off from a remote helispot in Northern California in 2008, killing seven firefighters and two pilots.
In August, 2015 he began serving what was to have been 12 years and 7 months in prison, but was released after six years and one month.
He pleaded guilty in 2014 to one count each of filing a false statement and of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud while submitting documents to obtain $20 million in firefighting contracts with the U.S. Forest Service.
He had filed for compassionate release from prison at least twice, first in November, 2020 citing his fear of contracting COVID-19, which was refused by a judge. In March of 2021 he filed again, saying his health was deteriorating. Over the next six months information was submitted indicating that he had chest pain, an abnormal echocardiogram, vision problems, high blood pressure, and migraine headaches.
U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken who was the judge in the trial, denied the first request but in September, 2021 approved the second one saying that his time in prison, especially with his health problems, have “been harsher than the sentence originally contemplated at the time of sentencing.”
Nina L. Charlson, mother of 25-year-old Scott Charlson of Phoenix, Oregon who died in the crash, said, “If it was a stupid mistake we would still have heartache but we all make mistakes. It was not a mistake. He plotted and planned to lie to the government.
“After the crash happened he plotted and planned to cover his plot up, Charson said. “It took the National Transportation board one and a half years to dig up the truth about what he did. It took 5 more years to get him sentenced to prison in September, 2015 for 12 years and 7 months. He served 6 years which is less than half of what he was sentenced for.”
Mr. Metheny was accused of falsifying performance charts and the weights of helicopters his company had under contract to the U.S. Forest Service for supporting wildland fire operations. As of a result of his fraud, a Carson helicopter crashed while trying to lift off with too much weight from a remote helispot on the Iron 44 Fire on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest near Weaverville, California in 2008. He was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in prison in 2015 for attempting to defraud the government out of more than $32 million and has been serving time in Lompoc, California.
Nine people were killed, including the pilot-in-command, a U.S. Forest Service check pilot, and seven firefighters. The copilot and three firefighters were seriously injured.
Mr. Metheny went to great lengths after the crash to attempt to conceal the fraud. When he knew that investigators would be examining the company’s operations, he directed other employees to remove weight from other similar helicopters, including taking off a fuel cell and replacing a very heavy battery with an empty shell of a battery. Some of the employees refused to participate in that deception, with one explaining that he was done lying about the helicopter’s weight.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, there was “intentional wrong-doing” by Carson Helicopters that under-stated the weight of the helicopter and over-stated its performance in the documents they provided to the U.S. Forest Service when bidding on their firefighting contract. The NTSB estimated that the actual empty weight of the helicopter was 13,845 pounds, while Carson Helicopters stated in their contract proposal that the weight was 12,013 pounds. For the purpose of load calculations on the day of the crash, the pilot assumed the weight to be 12,408 pounds, which was 1,437 pounds less than the actual weight estimated by the NTSB. According to the NTSB, for the mission of flying the firefighters off the helispot that day, the helicopter was already over the allowable weight even without the firefighters on board.
In Mr. Metheny’s plea agreement there was an admission that the helicopters had not actually been weighed.
Killed in the crash were pilot Roark Schwanenberg, 54; USFS check pilot Jim Ramage, 63; and firefighters Shawn Blazer, 30; Scott Charlson, 25; Matthew Hammer, 23; Edrik Gomez, 19; Bryan Rich, 29; David Steele, 19; and Steven “Caleb” Renno, 21. The copilot and three other firefighters were seriously injured.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Nina and Kelly.
11 Comments
This is such a travesty. I am shocked. Not sure how migraine headaches and echocardiograms compute in the lives of 9 families completely destroyed, not to mention those that were close to the incident that were forever changed. Seems that Mr. Matheny’s compulsive lying turned into compulsive eating – so like the original violation he remains culpable.
No wonder people are losing faith in the justice system.
This Judge should have had more reasons other than migraines and a bad echo to cause his release, I have not had a good echo in three yrs and I’m doing just fine !!
This POS will have to survive in public for the rest of his life, good luck !!!
Everyone of this men were good, hardworking people who had this POS take away their lives, what a shame you are Judge !!!
I knew Jim Ramage and he was/is a wonderful , fun filled amazing Pilot who is terribly missed.
This man, I will not use his name , now has a special place in Hell waiting for him !
Captain,
Every single thing on Metheny’s list of medical problems is on my list, and my list is much longer than his. I, however, did not cheat my way into million-dollar contracts with the government and then lie and cheat some more after killing a bunch of kids in a helicopter crash. Aiken usually is known for good court decisions, but she really seriously f***** this one up. FEEL FREE to contact her and express your disappointment.
Chambers: (541)431-4140
Courtroom Deputy: (541)431-4102
As a Former CH54B Flight Engineer I always respected Egor Sikorsky’s Dream…. The Skycrane Helicopter. Knot once did I ever feel uneasy about someone fudging the paperwork. We were National Defense. Our Team was strong. Well as in any money making businesses (Carson) …. facts and figures were twisted for that extra buck. That’s why I never went the Commercial route after my Military Service.. God Bless those lost. “Bubba” mos 67x CTARNG
Thank you to those of you that have commented. I agree with your comments.
Me again. I am a former CH54B Helicopter Flight Engineer at the Connecticut Army Aviation Support Facility. When you worked there… your maintenance description was to maintain all Aircraft in the Army Aviation community. CTARNG had (24) Hueys (1)U8 Airplane (12) CH54B Skycranes. Usually Prior Service People were looking for a Aviation Job after active duty so they would swing thru the hanger to fill out the veryyyyyyy long job application then submit it and get the ball rolling. Note: prior to any jobs here you had to raise your hand and join the Guard. If you weren’t prior service you needed to visit a friendly Army Boot camp for a couple months then go to Helo Mech School at Fort Eustis VA next for some months. Well enough said, Steven M. did the boot camp and Mech School and was hired as Mech. In order to work on War Fighting machines and fly on missions day and night year round. Our Full Time crew was tight at the hangar. we slept in the dark woods far from Dunkin. #1……..this is a dangerous business. follow the rules and there should be no incidents. I would like to say a few things about Steven as a Army Aircraft mech. Steve had prior civilian rotary wing experience so he knew enough to be trusted to maintain Army Helo’s. Met Steve first day of employment at the Hangar. Very skilled young mech. Great Friendly Kid. removed engines rotor head wheels tires blades and everything else that turns tail and main rotor blades. worked with Steve for years. Everybody including doing maintenance / test flying ECT. Point Blank…… Steven had the potential of making it to the top in Army Aviation. well……… Steve Left the Gov. and chose the civilian side of rotary wing business.
its a real real expensive operation where the i’s needed to be Deadicated and quality control and managers need to work as a family and sit down at a daily pow wow. don’t like the saying but it is all used when describing an incident or accident “It’s a comedy of errors ” to create an incident or accident. Google It
Gotta kinda feel for Carson Helicopters as well ,They hired this Individual and he wrecked a really good thing Carson Helicopter had going out West ,I think Steve Metheny will live broke and in poor Health in or outta Federal Prison but I personally wonder if he thinks about the people that lost their life’s and the Family’s gut wrenching hurt and loss , Im thinking he thinks only of himself and he’s a disgusting SOCIOPATH ,Only my Opinion.
It’s easy to tap numbers and letters on a keyboard. As with any online opinion Visit the Person you are writing about and talk face to face. You’ll feel better.
As a parent of one of the fallen firefighters in my minimal interaction with Methany he is sorry he got caueBht. We thought it was an accident – because they happen – for a year and a half after our sons death. Because of diligent work by the NTSB and FBI he was flushed out.
His beady cold eyes met mine unexpectedly during sentencing. He says he is sorry for the death of our sonss and husbands but he has never apologized for his actions or the cover-up he did for a year and a half.
Due to Mrs. Carson’s graciousness the surviving family members we able to submit victims statements during the sentencing. It was not the families but the government that was pursuing charges for lying to the government. It was somewhat healing to be able to express our loss and devastation.
He also stated in court records that he would have never pled guilty had he known the families were going to play a role in the court proceedings.
He truly is thinkng of himself. I believe if he has the chance again he will do the same – although I doubt he will get that opportunity.
This fraud is not the first he has performed. He just has not been prosecuted before.
In my opinion he should still be in federal prison serving out his sentence through August 2025 but he may be in a halfway house or maybe home. It is difficult to track him at this point.
Mom of Scott Charlson LODD 8/5/2008
As a former USFS pilot I had the pleasure and honor of serving with Jim Ramage. He taught me much as a father figure with a huge amount of fire experience as CalFire’s #1 badge ad a helicopter pilot. He cared for his family first, Firefighters second and as a professional pilot. We miss him dearly….but not as muchDiane and his loved daughter.
John Blumm
Comments are closed for this article!