UPDATED: Man killed in small airplane crash in Angeles National Forest north of Altadena


ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> A small airplane crashed in the Angeles National Forest north of Altadena Sunday morning, killing a man.
On man was pronounced dead at the crash scene, Deputy Kimberly Alexander of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Information Bureau said. There were no initial reports of additional injuries or additional occupants aboard the plane.
Rescuers searched the Angeles National Forest near Mt. Wilson for more than seven hours before finding the crash site after the small airplane vanished from radar amid inclement weather Sunday morning, officials said.
The missing aircraft was first reported shortly after 9:10 a.m., Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said.
“Apparently, it went off radar,” sheriff’s Lt. Randy Tuinstra said.
•Flight path of missing plane
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer confirmed officials lost communications with the single-engine airplane.
“We have a reported missing aircraft, a Cessna 182. … Traveling from Montgomery Field in San Diego to Santa Monica Municipal Airport, he said. “Contact was lost 17 miles east of Van Nuys.”
No witnesses reported seeing the aircraft in trouble, Tuinstra said.
According to FlightRadar24.com, the aircraft’s last reported altitude was about 4,000 feet, below the elevation of nearby mountain tops.
Bad weather prevented sheriff’s department helicopters from joining the search.
“Visibility is very, very low right now,” Tuinstra said. “We’re hoping that will burn off soon and we can get a better look.”
Members of the Montrose, Altadena, San Dimas, Sierra Madre and Canta Clarita search and rescue teams continued scouring the area on the ground until the weather improved in the afternoon, allowing search helicopters to join in the operation, officials said.
BrownMapThe aircraft crash site was found near the 4,466-foot-tall Brown Mountain, in the forest north of Altadena, according to Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez of the sheriff’s Information Bureau.
The airplane is registered to San Diego Skylane LLC, according to FAA records. It has a valid, standard-classification flight certification.

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Mountain biker rushed to hospital after snake bite in forest north of Altadena


ALTADENA >> Rescuers flew a 25-year-old mountain biker out of the Angeles National Forest north of Altadena for medical treatment after he was bitten by a rattlesnake Friday, authorities said.
The man stumbled upon the venomous reptile about 11:40 a.m. along Brown Mountain Trail, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Douglas Mohrhoff said.
Sheriff’s deputies, including those in department’s “Air-5” helicopter, and Los Angeles County firefighters headed up the trail and found the snake bite victim, the lieutenant said.
“He was transported by Air-5 to (Huntington Hospital in Pasadena) for further medical treatment,” Mohrhoff said.
“He was conscious at the time,” Mohrhoff said. An update on the man’s condition was not available.
With spring upon us, officials urged those recreating in the forest, conducting yard work or otherwise spending time outdoors to me mindful of rattlesnakes.
A 3-year-old girl suffered a rattlesnake bite in Chino Hills on Tuesday, according to San Bernardino Fire Department officials.
She was hiking on a trail near Soquel Canyon Road and Pipeline Avenue when she was bit in the leg, officials said. She was flown to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where she listed in stable condition.
And some experts suspect California’s long-running drought may be encouraging the snakes to slither out of their usual, more secluded habitats in search of food and water.
“As springtime calls people and snakes alike to the outdoors, encounters with snakes become inevitable,” according to a California Department of Fish and Wildlife fact sheet. “California has a variety of snakes, most of which are benign. The exception is California’s only native venomous snake — the rattlesnake.”
Though not common, it’s wise to have a plan in place in the event of a rattlesnake bite, officials said.
“Carry a portable phone, hike with a companion who can assist in an emergency, and make sure that family or friends know where you are going and when you will be checking in,” according to the CDFW statement.
If bitten, a person should stay calm; wash the bite area gently with soap and water; remove watches, rings or other items which may constrict swelling; immobilize the affected area; and seek medical care immediately.

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PHOTOS, VIDEO via Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

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Driver rescued after car falls 200 feet over side of forest road north of Glendora

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ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> Rescuers hoisted an injured man from the Angeles National Forest north of Glendora Saturday after his car tumbled 200 feet over the side of a cliff, authorities said.
0416_NWS_SGT-L-RESCUE2The crash was reported at 3:55 p.m. along near Glendora Ridge Road and Glendora Mountain Road, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Thomas Reid said.
Tactical medics dropped down to the crash scene by rope before hoisting the driver, a man in his 20s, to safety and rushing him to Huntington Hospital in Pasadena for treatment, officials said. His injuries were not initially believed to be life-threatening, however, an update on his condition was not available Saturday afternoon.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation.

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PHOTO via LASD Special Enforcement Bureau.

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Service planned for ski patrol volunteer from Winnetka killed in Mt. Waterman skiing accident


ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> Services are planned Friday for a Winnetka man and volunteer ski patrol member who died over the weekend in a skiing accident near Mt. Waterman, officials said.
William Robert Eslick Jr., 61, died Saturday afternoon after he struck a tree while skiing near Mt. Waterman, deep in the Angeles National Forest north of the San Gabriel Valley, Ed Winter, assistant chief of operations at the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said.
A memorial service is planned at 11 a.m. Friday at the Elks Club, 20925 Osborne Street in Canoga Park, according to the National Ski Patrol.
The accident took place about 12:30 p.m., Winter said.
“Two patrons on a ski lift heard a loud impact,” he said. They reported it to the NSP, and Eslick’s patrol partner soon found him.
Paramedics soon found Eslick and pronounced him dead at the scene, officials said.
An autopsy determined he died from blunt force trauma to the chest, with a contributing cause of heart disease, Winter said. The death was ruled accidental.
Eslick was described as “an expert skier” and ski instructor who volunteered for the NSP’s Far West Division, Winter added.
Family members could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Eslick’s colleagues in the NSP, Far West Division Director Bill Gibson said.
“On behalf of the National Ski Patrol family, we are deeply saddened by this tragic event, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Bill’s family,” Gibson said. “Because the accident is under investigation, we cannot provide further comment regarding the accident at this time.

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Winnetka man killed in Mt. Waterman skiing accident identified


ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> Coroner’s officials have identified a 61-year-old Winnetka man killed in an apparent skiing accident Saturday at Mt. Waterman.
William Robert Eslick Jr. died after striking a tree about 12:30 p.m. while skiing at the mountain, deep in the Angeles National Forest along Highway 2, Los Angeles County coroner’s and sheriff’s officials said.
An autopsy was pending, however investigators noted no initial signs of foul play, sheriff’s Lt. Douglas Mohrhoff said.

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Torrance man killed in suspect mountain biking accident in forest north of Altadena


ALTADENA >> A 49-year-old Torrance man reported missing while mountain biking in the Angeles National Forest north of Altadena was found dead from an apparent fall Saturday following a 13-hour search, authorities said.
The man’s name was not released Sunday pending notification of his family, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner officials said.
Search and rescue teams searching for the missing man found about 10:30 a.m. Saturday along the Brown Mountain Truck Trail, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Kim Shelton said.
The body was discovered a short distance from the man’s bicycle, and showed signs of trauma consistent with taking a fall from his bike, she said. No crime was initially suspected.
Sheriff’s officials received notification from Torrance police about 9 p.m. Friday that the cell phone of a missing Torrance man had been traces to a popular hiking trailhead north of Altadena, sheriff’s officials said in a written statement.
The missing man’s SUV was found in the parking lot of the Millard Canyon Campground, Shelton said.
Officials from the Altadena, Montrose, Sierra Madre, San Dimas, Santa Clarita and Malibu search-and-rescue teams joined in the search, along with Sheriff’s Department helicopters, according to the statement. Additional resources from the California Air National Guard were requested, however the search concluded before they joined the search.
Investigators determined the missing man had started out for a mountain bike ride Friday morning.
Although the missing person was an experienced mountain biker, he was reported to have limited supplies with him, a storm was predicted to come in and there is over 30 miles of trail to search,” according to the sheriff’s department statement.
Searchers handed out fliers with pictures of the missing man and his bicycle, Shelton said.
A hiker told authorities about 10 a.m. that he had seen the bicycle pictured on the flier in a remote area about three miles up the trail, officials said.
Officials quickly located the bike.
“After further searching, a body of a male was discovered,” according to the statement. “Sheriff’s Air Rescue 5 lowered a paramedic and the person was pronounced deceased at approximately 10:30 a.m.”
The investigation is ongoing.

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Glendora Ridge Road to be closed through Monday


ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> Officials plan to shut- down a portion of Glendora Ridge Road in the Angeles Nation Forest north of the San Gabriel Valley between Christmas Eve and Monday due to snow and icy conditions, authorities said.
The closure will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday on Glendora Ridge Road, between Glendora Mountain Road and Mt. Baldy Road, County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works officials said in a written statement.
“Depending on whether conditions, the road is expected to reopen on Monday,” according to the statement. “Public Works will monitor conditions and respond as conditions warrant.”
Drivers who find themselves navigating through snowy or icy conditions are urged to exercise “extreme caution,” especially in mountain areas, officials said.
A full list of weather-related road closures in Los Angeles County is available online at www.dpw.lacounty.gov/roadclosures.

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UPDATED: Whittier man found dead in Angeles National Forest identified

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Harry “Sam” Bash was an explorer, constantly seeking a new thrill or personal discovery.
It was that passion that led the longtime Whittier man to serve his country carrying out underwater demolitions with the U.S. Navy, to scale mountains and to fly airplanes.
Unfortunately, it was the same passion that put him in the Angeles National Forest, prospecting for gold, when he was caught in a mudslide in September. He was killed in the incident. He was 67.
Bash’s body was discovered by a hiker about 5 p.m. Sept. 19 along the East Fork of the San Gabriel River, between the Bridge to Nowhere and Heaton Flats, Ed Winter, assistant chief of operations at the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said. He was not officially identified by coroner’s officials until this week.
An autopsy determined he died from “multiple blunt force injuries,” and the death was ruled accidental, Winter said.
Coroner’s records listed no hometown for Bash.
Friends described him as a retired longtime Whittier resident who grew up in Pico Rivera and U.S. Navy veteran who enjoyed exploring the outdoors.
Property records indicate Bash owned a home in Whittier for more than 20 years, but friends said he had lived there more than three decades.
Dan Klausen said he first met Bash when the two attended school together in the first grade. They’ve remained friends ever since.
“He was truly my closest friend,” Klausen said.
“He was just a fun guy. He had a great sense of humor. He would call me up and call me ‘plutonium breath,’” Klausen said.
The friends took many trips together, scaling Half Dome in Yosemite, visiting Mt. Whitney and going on bike trips lasting days and hundreds of miles, Klausen said.
And Klausen said Bash’s curiosity knew no bounds.
Upon looking through Bash’s home following his death, “The books this guy had: quantum physics, geometry, calculus,” Klausen said. “He was so fascinated with science and mathematics and how things work.”
AR-150919318Bash often went prospecting in the mountains, generally taking day trips, but sometimes camping overnight, friends said.
Klausen said he speculated his friend must have touched on a good spot for gold, as he was believed to have been camped in the forest for about a week before becoming swept up in a debris flow.
“Otherwise, he never would have been up there that long,” he said. And witnesses reported that Bash’s car had moved in the parking lot at the mountain entrance at least once during the his camping trip, indicating had returned to it and possible resupplied.
Bash was found with his backpack, indicating he was trying to work his way out of the forest when he died, Klausen added.
Friend Jenny Reisner said she believed Bash may have been caught off-guard.
“He was hard of hearing, so likely didn’t hear it coming,” she said.
Bob Garcia said he was a friend of Bash for more than 50 years.
“Sam was a true outdoors man who loved and lived life to the fullest. He touched the lives of many people and he will be missed by all,” Garcia said.
Garcia said his friend spent four years with the Navy as an underwater demolitions expert, followed by a 29-year career at a chemical company.
Bash was a licensed pilot, a scuba diver an underwater welder, a mountain biker, a hiker, a rock climber, an explorer and a prospector, Garcia said.
Bash’s eulogy,delivered at an Oct. 10 memorial in Whittier, described him as “the quintessential explorer,” an accomplished guitarist and a lover of geography, botany and astronomy who spoke Spanish fluently.
Bash was never married and had no children, friends said.
He’s survived by twin sister, Sally, and sister Barb, three nieces, three nephews, six great-nephews and four great-nieces.
“His zest for life, insatiable love of learning, and thirst for adventure impacted and inspired practically everyone around him,” according to the eulogy. “Sam’s kind qualities, gentle demeanor, boundless curiosity, and beautiful spirit earned him immense love and respect. He will be sadly missed but remembered for the rest of our lives by all those who knew him.”

PHOTOS: [TOP] – Harry Samuel Bash, 67, of Whittier (courtesy, Connie Petty); [BELOW] – Sheriff’s recovery effort (courtesy, LASD)

 

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UPDATED: Hiker dies in 180-foot fall from cliff in Angeles National Forest north of Sierra Madre


ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> A 23-year-old hiker died Sunday after falling from a 180-foot cliff in the Chantry Flats area of the Angeles National Forest, officials said.
Passers-by first called authorities about 2 p.m. to report finding the body, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said.
The man had been hiking near Sturtevant Falls when he fell from the cliff, according to Sgt. Steve Ruiz.
Another hiker witnessed the fall and was working his way down the mountain to get help when the other group of hikers came upon the victim while hiking on a trail below, Lt. Ron Daily said.
Paramedics and members of the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team responded and pronounced the man dead at the scene, Ruiz said.
The investigation remained in its early stages Sunday night.
Coroner’s officials and sheriff’s homicide detectives planned to pause their investigation in the remote forest area overnight and resume Monday morning.

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Family of four hurt when car veers off road in Angeles National Forest

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ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> Rescuers pulled a family of four from the wreckage of a car that went over the side of Angeles Crest Highway in the Angeles National Forest Sunday, including a 12-year-old girl who was resuscitated after being found pulseless, authorities said.
The crash occurred about 2:30 p.m. near mile marker 53 of Angeles Crest Highway, just north of Santa Clara Divide Road, deep in the forest above Altadena, according to California Highway Patrol logs.
0928_NWS_PSN-L-ACHCRASH2CHP officers, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies, county firefighters, U.S. Forest Service officials and members of the Montrose Search and Rescue Team responded to the crash. Rescuers used a helicopter to take the four patients to a trauma center.
The 12-year-old girl, who appeared to have suffered the worst of the injuries, was resuscitated after initially being found without a pulse, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Hofemeister said. She was rushed into surgery Friday afternoon.
The conditions of the three other occupants of the vehicle, described as a man, a woman and another child, were not available.
Officers from the Altadena area office of the CHP are handling the investigation.

PHOTOS courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

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