Sheriff Provides Details of Crash of Helicopter in Remote Brewster County

The Brewster County Sheriff’s Department released information about a helicopter crash on a ranch south of Alpine Monday morning.

According to the sheriff, the crash happened Friday, Nov. 13 at 5:46 p.m. on a private ranch 20-25 miles south of Alpine.

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Above: The Robinson 44 Raven II in the UK. (Wikipedia)

The helicopter, a Robinson 44 Raven II, had four souls aboard when it crashed . The sheriff reported that the occupants were conducting a survey of deer on the property while hunting for wild, feral hogs.

After the crash, two of the occupants were able to walk from the crash site to a nearby highway and call for help.

The approximate location of the crash, as described by the sheriff "20-25 miles south of Alpine near highway 118":

Sheriff Ronny Dodson, BCSO deputies, Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens, Customs and Border Protection agents, Alpine Volunteer Fire Department, Alpine EMS, and the Brewster County EMC responded to the scene.

The sheriff reported that the location of the crash required 4x4 vehicles to reach the scene.

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The pilot and one other passenger were stabilized at the site and carried up to BCSO vehicles and transported to awaiting ambulances on Highway 118.

The crash investigation was turned over to the FAA and NTSB.

The occupants of the helicopter were treated at the Big Bend Regional Medical Center in Alpine. Three had non-life-threatening injuries. One was transferred to an area hospital for further treatment.

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Brewster County in rural west Texas encompasses the Big Bend National Park. Outside of Alpine and Marfa, the land is dry and generally inhospitable. Brewster County serves at the backdrop of the opening scene of the 2007 movie “No Country for Old Men.” Terlingua, the home of the world famous chili cook-off is in Brewster County.

The R-44 Raven II is a popular mode of transportation on large, remote ranches. It features a single engine and a two-blade rotor.