Stories

When a California hiker recently fell 40 feet in the mountains near the California-Nevada state line, KBRwyle search and rescue (SAR) pilot Ken Gilbert flew a U.S. Navy Search and Rescue aircrew to her aid. Scenarios like this are common place for Gilbert who has been involved with SAR helicopter missions for almost 12 years supportingU.S. Navy Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 (VX-31).

In this case, the hiker's injuries included rib fractures and potential shock which made it impossible for her to descend the mountainous terrain near Pahrump, Nevada where she and her husband had been hiking. The hikers activated aSPOT satellite-tracking device which transmitted their location to authorities, who then asked the U.S. Navy for assistance.

KBRwyle pilot Ken Gilbert with a U.S. Navy Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 Search and Rescue helicopter like one he flew to help local authorities and a U.S. Navy aircrew rescue a California hiker who fell 40 feet.

VX-31, based at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, responded and dispatched its search and rescue team. The team, commanded by Gilbert, included Lt. Adam Roth, SAR co-pilot, Naval Air Crewman (AWS1) Michael Giraud, crew chief, Hospital Corpsman (HM2) Joshua Cuevas, and Naval Air Crewman (AWS2) William Bennett, inland rescue aircrewman.

The Navy's SAR helicopter arrived on-scene 30 minutes after takeoff.

Gilbert rappelled Bennett and Cuevas to the top of the steep 5,500-ft. peak where the Navy aircrew completed a medical evaluation. The crew then hoisted the woman and her husband safely up into the aircraft. Next, Gilbert transported the couple to the nearest emergency medical facility in Las Vegas.

After her release from the hospital, the woman thanked Gilbert and his crew in an email saying, "You guys ROCK! I am grateful that you have each sought training to be able to help those in need. I am humbled by the amount of expertise you brought to the scene of my accident on Saturday. I appreciate each one of you SO MUCH for putting yourselves at risk and coming to my aid….

"There is no way I would have been able to descend that terrain with the rib fractures and the potential to go into shock.  You were really my only option. What an amazing job you did! Don't ever doubt that what you have committed your lives to make a difference. You are the men our country needs. You are our heroes! You are my heroes!"

Gilbert and his KBRwyle co-workers, many who are military veterans, provide the Navy and other service branches a variety of flight test, training, and related support services. They are part of KBRwyle's flight test team, the world's largest independent flight test organization.