Overview
A public-use helicopter was involved in a joint search operation for a missing hiker outside a park. The single pilot landed at a remote landing zone in mountainous terrain to retrieve seven search and rescue (SAR) personnel and a dog.
Takeoff and Disappearance
According to ground personnel, the pilot advised the SAR team to load quickly, stating he had no intentions of spending the night at the location. The pilot then held up five fingers, which the ground team interpreted as a signal to wait five minutes for the obscuration to clear. However, in less than that time, the helicopter executed a vertical takeoff into the obscuration.
Remaining SAR personnel on the ground reported that they lost sight of the helicopter approximately 50 feet above ground level. They continued to hear the helicopter until a collision sound was heard, followed by the sound of an avalanche.
Aftermath
Following the collision and avalanche sounds, the remaining SAR personnel evacuated the landing zone for cover. No further information about the condition of the helicopter or its occupants was provided in the source.