204 Down

[MagSeal]

Tell Steve we wish him the best, he''s likely one of only a couple guys I now from Delta still in High Level.

And that darn Red Earth, when will the nightmares stop...I can''t go a week without seeing, hearing, or smelling bad memories of that place.

 

[downwash]

For those of you that know Steve Kappelar, of Delta Helicopters, he was injured in a 204 accident this past Sunday, on a tree-planting job near Red Earth, AB. He''s in hospital in Edmonton, with a broken back and arm, but apparently his spinal cord is OK.

Nothing concrete about the cause yet. Steve apparently got the ship down upright, but severely damaged. I heard unsubstantiated rumor that there was indication of engine problems.

I expect to visit Steve in hospital this weekend, and will pass to the grizzled old bird any greetings anyone chooses to send me via PM.

 

[GoldMember]

I don''t know the man, but please let him know that all of his aviating brothers and sisters wish him a speedy recovery.

 

[cap]

Downwash ----- Don't know Steve, but know the name. Give him my best and please advise him that you know of two excellent sources of information about various back conditions/problems. He will now become an expert on how smooth a helicopter flies through the air.

 

[downwash]

Cap & Goldmember, consider that done.

 

[twinstar_ca]

never met him either, but i do send my best wishes and thoughts for a speedy and complete recovery..

 

[412driver]

hey downwash,

send steve my best and i wish him a speedy recovery.

412driver

ps. man, that guy holds the record for time served in High Level...................

 

[twinstar_ca]

it turns out that steve is the brother in law of a fellow that i work with very closely and as such, have the honor of knowing steve's sister as well...

i spoke with his bro in law earlier this afternoon and steve is recovering well... broken arm was from the cyclic, back was broken in the lower lumbar area... rods are in place now at the fracture sites...

from what my friend told me, if you look at the bird, it looks like it was landed on purpose with little indication as to the force of the landing...

he was longlining from the right as i understand with no door on... also had to wait about 4 hrs before the tree planters when queried as to the whereabouts of their air support, admitted they had no idea..

it was then he was looked for and found by another driver...

apparently, his room is full of flowers from across the country...

 

[downwash]

Thanks, Twinstar. I''ll be seeing Steve in the hospital tomorrow and will bring any update here.

 

[downwash]

For those of you that PM''d me, or asked here, I saw Steve today. He appreciates all of your greetings and good wishes, and asked me to pass on his thanks.

Although he didn''t have his surgery until Wednesday, following Sundays''s accident, he''s coming along well now, with the second lumbar vertebrae fused between the first and third. He''ll be wearing one of those clamshells for about three months, but looks great and sounds the same as ever.

I''ll add my own thanks for you adding to the cheer of a temporarily fallen comrade.

 

[412driver]

hey DW,

any word from steve as to what happened?

 

[twinstar_ca]

talked to steve's BIL today... said he is home with the clamshell and hoping like hell nothing breaks on the missus when haying this year!!

412, i asked if they knew what the cause was and nothing known yet as far as he (the BIL) knew...

 

[downwash]

412, check your PMs.

 

[412driver]

thanks DW