Walton County OKs memorial for 3 men killed in 2004 AirHeart One crash
The memorial will be constructed in collaboration with the South Walton Fire District. The tribute is to recognize Tom Palcic, pilot; Jack Chase, flight nurse; and Robert Heighton, paramedic, who lost their lives in a helicopter crash on Oct. 20, 2004.
On that night, AirHeart One took off from the Walton County Sheriff's Office heliport in Santa Rosa Beach to transport a patient to Pensacola. Shortly after takeoff, Heighton reported that the crew would return because of poor weather conditions. That was the last communication heard from the helicopter.
At 6:10 a.m., a relief pilot reported the crew missing, and by 8:20 a.m., wreckage was found in Choctawhatchee Bay. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the crash was caused by the pilot's disorientation in instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in a fatal loss of control.
South Walton Fire District Chief Ryan Crawford addressed county commissioners, reflecting on the 21-year anniversary of the crash.
"We are here to ask for your support to recognize these three men and their service to this community," he said.
Commissioner Tony Anderson, who brought the issue to the board, confirmed that the South Walton Fire District's budget would cover the cost of the memorial. Commissioner Danny Glidewell asked whether it could be completed by October, the 21st anniversary of the crash. Crawford and Fire Marshal Sammy Sanchez told the board that they aim to finish it by then.
Crawford added that the memorial's cost could reach $8,000. Anderson and Commissioner Dan Curry pledged to contribute from their discretionary funds if additional funding is needed.
The board will approve the final plans and funding at a later date.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Walton County OKs memorial for fallen crew of AirHeart One
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
10 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Plane crashes into parked aircraft while landing at Montana airport, sparking fire
The small, city-owned airport is just south of Kalispell, a city of about 30,000 people in northwest Montana. Witnesses said a plane crash-landed at the end of the runway and careened into another aircraft, Kalispell Fire Chief Jay Hagen said. Advertisement The passengers were able to get out on their own after it came to a stop, Hagen said. Two were slightly hurt and treated at the airport, he said. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Ron Danielson manages a nearby inn and said he heard and saw the crash before plumes of dark smoke filled the area. 'It sounded like if you were to stick your head in a bass drum and somebody smacked it as hard as they could,' he said. The flight originated in Pullman, Washington, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane was identified by the FAA as a Socata TBM 700 turboprop. It was built in 2011 and owned by Meter Sky LLC of Pullman, FAA records show. Company representatives did not immediately respond to a telephone message seeking comment. Advertisement Aviation safety consultant Jeff Guzzetti, who used to investigate crashes for both the FAA and NTSB, said incidents where planes crash into parked aircrafts happen a few times a year in general aviation. In one high-profile incident in February, a Learjet owned by Motley Crue singer Vince Neil veered off a runway in Scottsdale, Arizona, and crashed into a parked Gulfstream, killing one person. The NTSB said that crash may have been related to prior damage to the landing gear, but investigators haven't determined the cause.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Fox News
Food feud: Woman 'blew up' at boyfriend over his reaction to her home-cooked meals
A woman received an outpouring of support after revealing that her boyfriend of five years rarely compliments her home-cooked meals – yet gushes over takeout and leftovers from work. It caused a huge blowout between them, she said on Reddit, and sparked a debate online, too. "Yesterday, I made a meal from scratch and, as usual, he ate it silently and only said it was good after I asked," the woman wrote on the platform recently. "Then, today, we had a meal he brought from work and immediately reacted with an enthusiastic, 'Mmm.'" "That hit a nerve," she admitted. "I blew up." In the midst of the argument, the boyfriend claimed he tries to compliment her cooking but often forgets. That only made her more upset, the woman shared. "Why does he have to try so hard?" she wrote. "I don't want forced compliments. I just want him to be honest." The 25-year-old woman, who also shared that she is Slavic, described herself as an accomplished home cook. "Everything you can name, I can cook," she said in the comments section, adding that she prepares dishes from their shared cultural background, as well as Chinese, Thai and more. Her boyfriend, she noted, grew up in a household in which home-cooked meals were the norm and takeout was a treat. "Now I'm wondering if I overreacted," she wrote. Most users sided with her. "Cooking is a labor of love," one commenter wrote. "Your guy doesn't understand that, but he needs to learn." Said another person, "My [significant other] thanks me and compliments me even if it doesn't turn out that great. He's not just complimenting the food, he's grateful for my time and effort." Melanie Williams, a Baltimore-based psychotherapist, said it boils down to one of the most common relationship problems she sees. "It's entitlement," she told Fox News Digital. "She was right to speak up because if she didn't address it now, his entitlement would likely have continued and worsened." But not everyone agreed. One person said the girlfriend was being too "touchy." Another said, "Cook for him either because you enjoy it or because you've mutually determined it's your fair share of the household labor. Not something to start a fight over." Other people said compliments can't be forced. "She's pouring energy into this relationship, and he's acting like dinner magically appears from the kitchen staff." "Otherwise it's performative and what's the point of that?" one person wrote. For more Lifestyle articles, visit But certified life and parenting coach Randi Crawford of California said it's all about being seen. "She's pouring energy into this relationship, and he's acting like dinner magically appears from the kitchen staff," Crawford said. The woman should sit her boyfriend down and tell him she is hurt, Crawford said. "Say, 'I don't need a production every night, but I do need you to notice me, not just the DoorDash guy,'" she advised. "And if he can't do that? Stop bending over backwards and let him know: 'Appreciation isn't optional in this relationship – it's the bare minimum,'" Crawford added. "And if he still doesn't get it? Let's see how quiet he gets when your kitchen is closed for business."
New York Times
4 days ago
- New York Times
F.A.A. Plans to Hire Almost 9,000 Air Traffic Controllers, but Shortage Will Persist
The Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday that it expects to hire at least 8,900 air traffic controllers by late 2028, but according to the agency's own numbers, this would not solve a nationwide staffing shortage. In a work force plan for air traffic controllers between now and the end of fiscal year 2028, which runs through September, the F.A.A. detailed the ways in which it intends to 'supercharge' hiring and training to address a shortfall of nearly 3,000 controllers. But the report also revealed that because of projected losses from its current pool of controllers and washouts among its recruits, the F.A.A. expects to have only about 1,000 additional certified controllers by the end of fiscal 2028. The report illustrates the difficulties confronting the F.A.A. as it scrambles to address a national staffing crisis among air traffic controllers, a focal point of its efforts to improve aviation safety after a midair collision near Ronald Reagan National Airport in January killed 67 people. Last week, during a three-day investigative hearing into that crash before the National Transportation Safety Board, F.A.A. officials said the local controller on duty had been working two jobs on the night of the crash, overseeing both plane and helicopter traffic. Despite going against official guidelines, the practice was common at the tower, the officials testified, an example of the staffing shortages that have become endemic at busy towers across the country. A recent study commissioned by Congress found that the F.A.A. has been relying too heavily on controllers working overtime to keep its towers staffed, which increases the likelihood of them experiencing fatigue in a job that involves life-or-death decisions. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
