The location of the operation - camp lower center - above Lewis Lake
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Helipad just North of Stehekin
Weather changed quickly
Boat dock near the helicad
A.K. Pratt landing helipad.
A.K landing
A.K. (middle) loading gear to fly in Walter (l) or Clay (r)
Walters and A.K.
Walters with gear to be flown to crash recovery site
A.K. Pratt taking off to the crash site. It was about a 20 minute flight
The view from A.K.'s Bell chopter going up the valley to the crash site.
We turned right at one of the main canyon going towards the site.
Mountain as view from A.K.'s chopter going to the site.
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The camp when I arrived the first week in June of 1960. You couldn't see the tent until we were right on top of it.
The H21C had crashed on a hillside and had to be wenched down to what appeared to be a snowed coverd meadow.
Lake Lewis to the right iced over. My Dad walking on the right of the photo. The L20A crashed near here.
The L20A that crashed 12-Jan-59
Cockpit
The L20A some six week later.
L20A
Another view of L20A
To the left of the prop you can see our camp and the H21C that was being repaired. Lewis Lake in the distance.
The cockpit was not this damged by the crash, but by instrument removal
Just above the L20As crash site, this snow bowl.
The pass in the top center is how the supply chopper flew in. The band on snow to the right crashed in an avalanche a few days prior to leaving.
A.K. flying into the camp. He think he flew in twice a week with supplies and helicopter parts. The overhang of snow to the left of the chopper came down in a large avalanche a few days prior to departure.
Second pilot. A.K. crashed while fighting a forest fire. Passenger was boss man from Los Angeles.
A.K. in the meadow. The camp and H21C were to the left about 20 yards.
The other chopter pilot. From Alabama. The draw to the right was where the H21C crashed. The L20A can be seen to the left.
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When the H21C was wenched down this was all under six feet of snow. The placed near some trees hoping that this was high ground, which it was.
Waters, Clay and Jolly. My Dad in the background to the left. Roter blades on chopter. Was to fly to Stehekin, but the pilot flew it to Chelan. He praised the teams quality of repair work.
Jim's Jewel as the chopter was called. Jim being the boss running the operation from Chelan and LA.
Taken from the position the H21C crashed and was wenched down to the meadow.
Taken from above the crash sites of the H21C and L20A. Camp lower center. Lewis Lake right center.
The supply chopper flew in over the pass on the far left.
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This is the type of helicopter that crashed.
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The Vitoria Advocate, TX Aug 17, 1959 - H21 Crash
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