1958 06/23 WA Eight Mile Ridge SJ Beechcraft

Incident Name:  Eight Mile Ridge Fire, Okanogan National Forest, WA
Date:  Monday, 6/23/58, about 1845 hrs
Personnel:  4 lives lost
Age:
Agency/Organization:  under contract with the US Forest Service fire, several smokejumpers were North Cascades Smokejumpers
Position: firefighters providing supplies from the air

Summary:

Bob Cavanaugh, pilot(ex-military), from Medford OR, 35 years old
Robert Carlman, copilot, North Cascades SJ and Timber Sale Officer, Winthrop WA, Okanogan National Forest, 24 years
Keith Alonzo “Gus” Hendrickson, North Cascades SJ, Winthrop WA, Foreman, 29 years
Gerald Helmer, North Cascades SJ, Sweet Home, OR, 26 years

On June 23, 1958 at about 1845 hrs, three smokejumpers and the pilot lost their lives when their plane crashed into the 5000′ high Eight Mile Ridge. The red, white, and black twin engine Beech Aircraft (N164Z) was performing a cargo drop of supplies to crews fighting the Eight Mile Ridge Fire. The impact with terrain was probably caused by a strong downdraft.

Art image from the Methow Valley Memorial Dedication Brochure, 2007

Maps

Eight Mile Ridge, 15 miles north of Winthrop, Washington

{mosmap lat=’48.703290’|lon=’-120.237715’|marker=’0’|text=’Eight Mile Ridge, 15 mi from Winthrop, WA’}

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Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned

• Concise Information from the NTSB, FAA, and research by the WLF Staff:
  • 6/23/1958
  • 4 killed, Bob Cavanaugh, Alonzo Keith (Gus) Hendrickson, Gerald Helmer, Robert Carlman
  • Operator: unknown
  • Type: Twin Beech
  • Location: Eight Mile Ridge Fire, Okanagan National Forest, WA
  • FAA Registration # N164Z
  • NTSB # None
• From the Methow Valley Memorial Dedication Brochure, 2007:On June 23, 1958 Robert Cavanaugh was piloting the smokejumper airplane over a fire on Eightmile Ridge. He was making his final approach to drop cargo to the smokejumpers engaged in fighting the fire. Forester-smokejumper Robert Carlman, smokejumper Gerals Helmer, and Smokejumper Keith Hendrickson were preparing the cargo for the drop when the aircraft encountered a downdraft that sent the plane into the ridge, killing all on board.
• From the Smokejumper Magazine: Eight Mile Ridge Fire. This is the account of the plane crash from the personal journal of Doug Baird, written during 1958, his rookie year at North Cascades Smokejumper Base.JOURNAL ENTRY, JUNE 30, 1958: It was an exciting first week of training, a great beginning! However, we didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the upcoming weekend. The events of the next few days cast a dark cloud over much of the summer. On Monday, June 23rd, a great tragedy occurred. As an on-the-spot witness I will relate the incident to the best of my knowledge. During the weekend of June 21-22, severe lightning storms were forecast for the Cascade Mt. Range of northern Washington. As a result… (Excellent first-hand account. Read it.)
• Smokejumper Obituaries: Robert A Carlman | Keith Alonzo (Gus) Hendrickson | Gerald “Jerry” Helmer
• Washington Death Certificates: Robert A Carlman | Robert H Cavanaugh, Jr |  Alonzo Keith Hendrickson | Gerald E Helmer
• Article from the Spokesman-Review:
  • 
• Smokejumpers Killed in the Line of Duty (359 K pdf) from the National Smokejumper Association (on page 20 of 56)
• Twin Beech from Wikipedia

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Wildlandfire.com Links:

• Theysaid: 9/14/06, raising money for the memorial

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Media Articles and Reports

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Photos, Videos, & Tributes

• Methow Valley Wildland Firefighter Memorial, dedicated Nov 27, 2007: Brochure, front page (690 K pdf)
• Online Article: Firefighting Memorial Dedication is Nov. 27 in Winthrop
• Memorial located in Mac Lloyd Park in Winthrop, WA.Memorial Location: From Hwy 20 at milepost 191.5, in the town of Winthrop, turn left (west) into the municipal parking lot at the big Red Barn (If anyone knows the lat/lon, please let us know.)

Rt 20 at Winthrop, WA

{mosmap lat=’48.477512’|lon=’-120.185158’|marker=’0’|text=’State Rt 20 at Winthrop, WA’}

• • Find a Grave: Robert Allan Carlman is buried in Sullivan Cemetary, Winthrop WA ;  Alonzo Keith (Gus) Hendrickson is buried in Omak Memorial Cemetery, Omak, Okanogan, WA

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Contributors to this article: Tom Leuschen, Wildland Firefighter Foundation, Brett Rogers, Carl Gidlund, Mellie, Chuck Sheley of the National Smokejumpers Association

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