Flight Safety Foundation
Heroism Award

presented to

Jim Corey
Silver Bay Logging

For volunteering as a helicopter pilot to conduct a series of emergency flights from a barge at a remote logging site in Alaska, United States, that led to the rescue of an injured surveyor. The surveyor had made a radio call for help after fracturing his leg and becoming stranded on a mountain without shelter or emergency supplies in deteriorating weather conditions of cold, wind and rain.

Mr. Corey and two rescuers crossed the Gulf of Alaska in a Hughes 500 Model 369D and searched the mountain in near darkness, keeping instrument lights turned off and using a small flashlight for optimal night vision. On the first trip, two rescuers were left on the mountainside to search for the surveyor.

Mr. Corey then flew the helicopter back to the barge with great navigational difficulty because of deteriorating conditions of high wind, rain and low clouds. He picked up another rescuer and dropped off this rescuer on the mountainside to join the search. After about a half hour of searching, the rescuers found the surveyor, strapped him to a litter and loaded the litter and one of the rescuers into the helicopter. Mr. Corey removed the door of the helicopter to assure adequate visibility in rain for the flight down the mountainside to near the surface of the bay.

Flying near sea level, he was able to navigate to a light on the barge and to drop off the rescuer and the surveyor at the logging site. Mr. Corey then flew a third trip to the mountainside and picked up the other two rescuers and the helicopter door. Darkness and deteriorating weather made the last descent from the mountain even more difficult and neither the barge light nor the surface of the bay could be seen from near sea level. With one passenger continuously reading the altimeter aloud by flashlight, Mr. Corey followed trees along the shoreline to return to the barge, landing after midnight. The rescuers were able to provide warmth, shelter and first aid to the surveyor through the night and the next morning, the surveyor was airlifted to a hospital, where he made a complete recovery after surgery.

Mr. Corey’s prompt and courageous action, taken with complete disregard for his own personal safety, reflects the highest traditions of the aviation community. Flight Safety Foundation and the award’s sponsor, Kidde Aerospace and Defense, are proud to recognize Jim Corey with the Flight Safety Foundation Heroism Award.

FSF 52nd International Air Safety Seminar
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
November 10, 1999

Stuart Matthews
Chairman, President and CEO
Flight Safety Foundation

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