Aircraft down
1996; Elsevier BV; Volume: 7; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1580/1080-6032(1996)007[0190
ISSN1545-1534
Autores ResumoAircraft downThis is not a typical article for a medical journal but instead a story of wilderness activities that resulted in the need for medical expertise under unusually trying conditions.A pediatrician by training, I also regularly work outdoors in other capacities as many Alaskans do.In the summer of 1990 I was employed as a pilot guide by a lodge on Lake Illiamna in southwestern Alaska.My job consisted of flying guests out from the lodge on a daily basis to explore the surrounding lakes and rivers for salmon, trout, and grayling.On July 1 of that year I had taken two fly-fishermen to a creek in search of trophy rainbow trout.By lunchtime the wind had picked up and appeared to be approaching a dangerous velocity as it often does in this part of Alaska.Because of the weather, we flew back to the lodge to wait out the gusts.We decided not to fly any more that day when the wind reached 35 knots with gusts of up to 45 by mid-afternoon.A family from Anchorage was staying in a cabin near the lodge.This group consisted of a man and woman both in their late 40s, their daughter and son-in-law, and their two grandchildren aged 7 and 3.The grandfather was the pilot of their aircraft, a well-equipped Cessna 185 on floats.Their desire to return home evidently overcame the pilot's regard for the weather.I was cutting wood for the lodge when I first saw the airplane on the wind-tossed lake.Spray was in the air and wind gusts were howling around the tip of a small island, creating additional "eat's paws" on the churning surface of the lake.These wind shear currents were twisting away from the prevailing wind and consequently creating a real hazard for any aviator who would risk flying in these treacherous conditions.I was amazed to see the airplane out on the bay and even more amazed to see it turn into the wind and power up for takeoff.I watched in horror as the aircraft lifted off and flew into the wind shear at an altitude of about 20 feet.When the Cessna hit turbulence it lost air speed and its wings could no longer hold it aloft.The left wing dipped dangerously as the pilot struggled with the controls before the right wing hit the water and caused the aircraft to cartwheel into the lake.It sank quickly in 10 feet of water and left nothing but its tail visible above the surface.Accompanied by lodge owner Bob Cusack and two guests, I raced for the little skiff the lodge used to service its float planes.Fortunately the outboard motor started at once and we raced at full throttle across the waves toward the downed aircraft.Although gusting winds and rough water made the operation difficult we managed to secure the boat to the aircraft's tail just as the pilot surfaced and told us that there were five more people to be accounted for.Once the boat was secured we helped the pilot aboard and then went into the water to try to extract survivors from the aircraft.Cusak managed to get into the cabin and pull out a woman who had been lucky enough to be positioned inside an air bubble.She appeared to be in good physical condition but she was concerned about the rest of her family.We quickly got her aboard the boat and continued our rescue efforts.Cusak next retrieved the seven-year-old, who was apneic and blue.We awkwardly lifted him into the boat and placed him across a seat in order to begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).The demanding conditions imposed by an open skiff in rough water made the procedure very difficult.Since the child had a carotid pulse I cleared his airway and began mouth-to-mouth
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