nomorehelosforme
19th May 2019, 15:33
According to reports R44 crashed in mountains in the Alpine area, weather reported as shifting and rainy.
https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900071226/helicopter-carrying-2-crashes-in-mountains-north-of-alpine.html
Gordy
19th May 2019, 16:03
Firstly, it is "Deseret" News, not "Desert"...it is the news organization of the Mormon church which is based in Salt Lake City.
That is high country right there just North of Alpine....I still have a home in Salt Lake and have flown that area many times. I would never go straight line there, I am confused as to why they would not have followed I-80 in to the Salt Lake basin and then gone South. Pure speculation, but I would guess the pilot is not that experienced and did not feel comfortable going into the Salt Lake City Class B airspace. (Although you can scoot around it, even following I-80).