Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office reported Tuesday that no one was injured when the helicopter landed in an open meadow on Cow Mountain – about seven miles northwest of Lakeport – at about 3 p.m. June 25.

The Robinson R-44, owned by Cutting Edge Helicopters out of Sacramento, is used in ongoing aerial surveillance of illegal marijuana grows. Bauman said the helicopter was “substantially damaged” in the landing.

The helicopter crew – including Lt. Dave Garzoli of the sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit, who was undergoing flight instruction, and a company pilot who also is a certified flight instructor – had spent the morning conducting aerial surveillance over Lake County and were returning to Lakeport on a training flight after refueling in Ukiah, Bauman said.

During the training flight, the crew was simulating an emergency 180-degree autorotation and power recovery procedure at an altitude of about 500 feet over Cow Mountain when Bauman said they experienced an engine failure.

When attempts to recover engine power failed, the crew committed to a forced landing and, due to the lack of RPMs, the main rotor blades impacted the helicopter’s tail boom as the craft touched the ground, which Bauman said caused the damage.

Bauman said there was no property damage other than to the helicopter. The cause of the engine failure is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and Cutting Edge Helicopters.

In April the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an agreement with Cutting Edge Helicopters to rent its equipment for marijuana surveillance activities.

In the agreement, Cutting Edge receives $490 an hour, according to minutes from the April 14 Board of Supervisors meeting.

At that time the board also approved helicopter lease agreements with PJ Helicopters and A&P Helicopters for rates of $700 and $750, respectively, as Lake County News has reported.

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Glad
written by Dwain, July 01, 2009

I'm glad no one was hurt.

But am I adding these numbers up right? Lake County spends up to $1,940 PER HOUR to hunt for a weed (not including salaries and fuel)???

Hmm, there's a pothole I know of that we could fill with gold for that rate.

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Board of Supervisors should be ashamed
written by AB390, July 01, 2009

The board of supervisors unanimously approved renting helicopters to search for marijuana? Don't they know California is bankrupt? Don't they know we've tried eradication every year for decades and marijuana is still easier for most high school kids to buy than beer?

Keeping marijuana illegal does not benefit our children. It benefits special interest groups: helicopter rental companies, drug cartels, the prison industry, police departments, and government bureaucracies.

It is immoral to prevent responsible adults from choosing to use a less harmful substance in place of alcohol. If pot were legalized, alcohol use would decrease along with its associated social costs.

If you want marijuana to be legalized, taxed, and regulated for adults, YOU can make it happen. Tell your legislators to support California Assembly Bill 390. It's easy. Visit yes390.org

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oh Gawd!
written by smurf, July 01, 2009

Garzoli is getting flight instruction on our dime? Groan. This can only mean Mitchell is buying a chopper, or thinks he is anyway. Who approved using our money on flight instruction, do the supes know that Rodney has a whirlybird on his Christmas list?

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Another wreck
written by fubarbrothersband, July 01, 2009

This is the second time Garzoli has been involved or indirectly involved in destroying expensive equiptment. We the taxpayers will no doubt foot the bill this time too. The another time Good 'ol Dave rolled his police cruiser coming back from Konocti after a couple of drinks, (allegedly of course).I don't think we want him to even come close to getting certified to fly. Keep him behind a desk with his box of crayons and a rabbit foot for good look.. This guy is a plague waiting to happen.

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Gas Money anyone?
written by jwraven, July 01, 2009

Those choppers use about 100 or more gallons of jet fuel per hour. At approximately $6/gal that's another $600-$700 on top of the rental fee. The CDF Super Huey uses about 100 gph, but then, it's protectin our forest and urban interface. And they're going to cut back on Firefighters? Gee, that adds up to valuing marijuana eradication more the your homes and forests!

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$pent
written by lifetime local, July 01, 2009

Why do these guys keep blowing money on weed? As I pass by the S.O. I see the Hummer we bought them...ROTTING away. I've even thought about offering them a few $$$ for it. The amount of MY money they spend on this makes me sad, they should just legalize marijuana AND hemp. Hemp will ruin most illegal marijuana outdoor crops anyway, I'm curious why they don't use this tactic? Plus, hemp will better our economy because it can be harvested for fuel, textile, and it is a great erosion control (save our beloved Cow Mt). Think about this!

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To many ignorant conclusions....just ask!
written by Get_it_right, July 01, 2009

The Sheriffs Office uses Cutting Edge Helicopters because they provide a low cost safe and reliable aerial platform for their duties. The $490/hr includes fuel, pilot, insurance and all expenses associated with its operation. This emergency will cost the taxpayers nothing other than downtime. The other contracted helicopter vendors mentioned above costs are nearly double Cutting Edges for the same services but they use bigger more exprensive helicopters.

Rest assured they are not using a "Super Huey". They are using a Robinson R44 piston aircraft that burns 14 gallons per hour of av gas, all included in the rate.

As for the Hummer...........is was free military surplus.

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"free military surplus"
written by Donna Christopher, July 01, 2009

riiiight, and who funds the military? Drivin Dave AGAIN For the record, he was coming back from Konocti after having served as extra security, never heard anything at the time about booze. It was when the BOS decided it was a good idea to let offduty use uniform & cruiser to help with enforcement out there. Never did get an answer as to why he was past the SO when he rolled it, other than dodging a deer. No explanation as to why he had driven past the office. And no explanation as to why it the cost didn't come out of his pocket instead of ours. Y'all done went to the well one time to many, nothing left in our pockets.

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More Toys?
written by kd006, July 01, 2009

"Garzoli is getting flight instruction on our dime? Groan. This can only mean Mitchell is buying a chopper, or thinks he is anyway. Who approved using our money on flight instruction, do the supes know that Rodney has a whirlybird on his Christmas list?"

Phill of course Rod wants a new toy, but will probably end up buying some suplus copter that will cost 3 times over to refurb it so it can be parked next to the humvee, mobile command post and who knows what else behind that 15 foot razor wire top'd fort they are building. I can see it now, when people close in on them they will make their escape with the whirlybird like so many TV/Movie villans allways do.

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Donna
written by Get_it_right, July 01, 2009

If you followed that story 18 years ago and knew what actually happened, Garzoli did PAY for that car and receive significant discipline-more so than any other deputy ever had then or since for crashing a patrol car. Give it a rest. The local government is not near as corrupt as you desperately wish it was.

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Did follow it, sat thru every
written by Donna Christopher, July 01, 2009

BOS hearing that was held with regards to the subject. Other than that, due to personnel issues, couldn't set thru any other meetings with regards to the issue. Gonna have a cup of coffee with Dave - or do you already know that? I really dislike anonymous postings. Desperately wishing my government was corrupt - riiiight. I just love passing this governmental cluster#### (from Lakeport, to Sac, to DC) on to my children and grandchildren.

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It's the end of the world...
written by Chris Thompson, July 01, 2009

The end is coming and they won't tell us, meanwhile they build compounds with survival gear to use when "the levee breaks."

Sounds absurd, but what other explanation can there be for the "governmental cluster ####" {as Donna Christopher so eleoquently put it...) which has served us up a few long-lasting, never ending wars (Afghanastan, Terror, Drugs, Iraq), an insolvent government on all levels, a banking crisis unparalleled in modern times, and more...?

To hear that Officer Garzoli is now taking helicopter training doesn't surprise me, now he can spy on us personally.

The costs no matter what are obscene, especially when they have basically gutted all social services in this state, and the legislature plays its annual dance of blaming everyone else for not even getting along for a few days and getting something simple like a budget finalized...

It isn't just that people desire to believe that the local government is corrupt, people truly feel and know in their souls that government is corrupt at all levels. It is a reflection of our society at large. Corrupt and immoral for the most part, if you believe what you read or see in the news.

And we do wonder why this is happening. Or at least a few of us wonder...

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jarheads and jocks
written by boondoggle, July 01, 2009

still ruining our skys. anytime good ole boys
run their game.we still lose! are they still running
through inocent peoples backyards,wreaking private
property and not even saying their sorry.
shame shame in world gone mad .

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lake county sucks!
written by Nor Cal Ty, July 02, 2009

this why they should legalize pot...THEY WILL MAKE MONEY NOT SPEND MONEY ON IT!! LEGALIZE IT, TAX IT, AND THEN THERES REVENUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LAKE COUNTY IS THE WORSE COUNTY OUT THERE!!!

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Dave was kind enough to
written by Donna Christopher, July 02, 2009

give me some of his time this afternoon. The cost of the cruiser was NOT covered by the taxpayers buy by his insurance. He was cited by the CHP and punished by the SO. He was taking the cruiser home as he had a early shift the next morning. I really appreciate your time Dave in explaining the situation and now understand why more information was not garnered by attending the BOS hearings at the time. The good thing that did come from this, aside from no one being hurt, was the county quickly found out the flaws in their agreement with Konocti. Again, I thank you for your time Dave.

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Hmmm!
written by justthefacts, July 02, 2009

I wonder what the real facts are here?

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Oh wait here they are!
written by justthefacts, July 02, 2009

1. The county rents only one helicopter at a time. Only one (if any) flying each day. Fuel and Pilot/Instructor are included in the price.
2. The monies for the surveillance program come from federal grants not local county budgets.
3. Again the federal funds are paying for the flight instruction also.
4. The engine failure was not the fault of the pilots. Hard to relate this to a automobile crash.
5. The helicopter that lost power burns 14 gallons of 100LL per hour at about $4.50 per gallon
6. At the altitudes flown over populated areas, it is nearly impossible to identify specific persons even with high power gyro stabilized binoculars. Spying is probably not the goal.
7. The helicopters have been used to assist covering units on patrol calls and aerial survellance and photography at crime scenes. The aircraft can also be used to assist in missing person searches. Helicopters are a benefit to the vast majority of law abiding residents. Using federal monies to fund surveillance and training is cost effective for the local community. Eventually the program could be built into a full time airborne unit serving all residents at a moments notice.

The hard landing and damage to the helicopter (paid for by private insurance) should not stop the county from utilizing this important and widely beneficial community service tool.

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Justthefacts, thanks for the
written by Donna Christopher, July 03, 2009

additional info but really now, just because the funding comes in the form of a Federal grant doesn't mean it isn't our taxes! Or part of our staggering debt to China. Yes, helicopters can be a "widely beneficial community service tool." but we all know that they are looking for large cannabis grows right now. Legalize it and tax it so we don't have to worry about the narco-terrorists being up in the hills. Or their kidnapped, terrorized mules. Hope everyone has a peaceful Independence Day - please take a moment to think of all our service persons in harms way, especially with the ramped up action Helmud.

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