Today’s KOMO News helicopter crash reminded me of an afternoon 40 years ago when a Seattle police helicopter crashed on Beacon Hill after colliding in midair with a small aircraft to the east of Boeing Field. Police Officer Observer James Forbes and Police Officer Pilot James St. Delore died in the crash.
Officers Forbes (in picture, left) and St. Delore (right) were responding in “Air 4” to a shooting incident in south Seattle when the crash occurred. I was assigned to the Police Department’s media relations team at the time and was sent to the scene of the crash. Like today, it was a very sad day for Seattle, especially the Police Department.