Key Pieces Of Crashed Helicopter Recovered

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By By April Zepeda

Summary

The U.S. Navy has found key remains of a medical transport helicopter that crashed in Puget Sound near Edmonds, killing the three crewmembers on board.

Story Published: Oct 8, 2005 at 3:30 PM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 2:05 AM PDT

Key Pieces Of Crashed Helicopter Recovered
SNOHOMISH COUNTY - The U.S. Navy has found key remains of a medical transport helicopter that crashed in Puget Sound near Edmonds, killing the three crewmembers on board.

Around the clock, Navy ship, Battlepoint searched the ocean floor and made discoveries this weekend. The helicopter's tail was visible on deck. Crews worked through Friday night pulling up several key pieces of the wreckage from 530 feet below the surface.

"They picked up the rotor section with a blade attached and parts of the engine, plus the other three rotors," said Diane Jennings, a Public Affairs Officer with the Navy.

Searching for the missing medevac helicopter has been a struggle. So, the National Transportation Safety Board called the Navy for help.

The Battlepoint -- a ship used to find torpedoes -- can do exactly what searchers need. The crew can launch ROV's, or remotely operated vehicles. They are underwater robots with cameras and lights that are controlled on board the ship.

"They can visually see, and they can manipulate the arms on it to attach cables to the different pieces and hoist them up with a crane," said Jennings.

Using monitors, the crew can scan the bottom to try to find signs of the missing chopper that crashed last Thursday.

Pilot Steve Smith and nurses Erin Reed and Lois Suzuki were killed in the crash. They were returning from Harborview Medical Center after dropping off a patient.

Reed's body has been recovered. But the bodies of the other victims, as well as the main cabin of the helicopter have not yet been found.

The hope is that as crews recover more of the wreckage, they'll get closer to knowing what cause the crash.