Old Ghosts
PHOENIX NEWS HELICOPTERS CRASH- I stayed up late last night and watched all of the video from the coverage of the news helicopters that collided and crashed in Phoenix today. I was napping (a perk of vacation) when the accident happened. My wife woke me up to see the initial horror of the scene of the wreckage. The story sent chills through my wife because she has endured two instances where I was in a news and traffic helicopter that had severe mechanical trouble and was forced to an emergency landing. It brought back memories for me, too. And I stayed up a little later dealing with those old ghosts that like to make my heart race and my hands shake.
Once we were flying in marginal weather, very low clouds, when another traffic helicopter, traveling over the same road as us in the opposite direction- passed us at the exact same altitude. Our rotor blades only missed by about a foot. It was over in a couple of seconds. But what -nearly- happened is haunting. There were other close calls, too.
I am so sorry for the families and loved ones who are grieving today.
