Multiple Reports of Low Flying Helicopter

Over the last two days, we’ve received multiple reports of a low flying helicopter east of Garberville. It  is described as either blue and white or green and white.

According to Jasmine Finley, a Southern Humboldt resident, she witnessed the chopper around noon today in the Palo Verde area. “I was on the ridge near the fire hall and a blue and white helicopter was flying so low I thought they might be landing,” she said. “I am part of the fundraising staff for the fire department and was worried because no one was at the fire hall.” The helicopter didn’t land but Finley said that the helicopter flew about 150 feet above the ground.

Other observers have said the helicopter was lower than 500 feet in their areas.

Below is a video from another person.

Another reader took this photo. Below it is a zoom of the image.

12921955_10153590519958123_1775780577_o UntitledHumboldt County Sheriff spokesperson Selena Zorilla-Mendoza said that she wasn’t aware of any flights in the area. A question sent to PG&E asking whether they are flying in the area hasn’t been answered.

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That guy
Guest
That guy
7 years ago

The same heli flew Bridgville and Dinsmore last week hard and heavy. Not near the power lines either, so was pretty sure it wasn’t PGE.

Barb Ryan
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  That guy

It’s been flying back and forth over my house for about 45 mins now. Thanks for the info everyone. I thought maybe a fugitive was on the loose…

tugboat
Guest
7 years ago

I saw it also, it circled Camp Kimptu on Monday. Blue & White , Flying low. The colors of blue & white remind me of the Easter Bunny , Maybe Governor Moonbeams is on an Easter Egg Hunt.

Bill
Guest
Bill
7 years ago

PG&E has been saying for a week that they will be inspecting power line from the air this week.

Hugh Manatee
Guest
Hugh Manatee
7 years ago

Yes, it is a contracted helicopter for PG&E.
I spoke with the pilot several days ago and he told me they would be flying lines in the Garberville and Ruth Lake area.

For general knowledge, helicopters have no height restrictions. They can fly as low as they like so long as they can make an emergency landing in the event of an engine failure.

Airplanes don’t actually have a 500′ height limit over sparsely populated areas either, but they must stay 500′ away from buildings or people. That can be 500′ horizontally though.

Hugh Manatee
Guest
Hugh Manatee
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

No problem Kym 🙂

It does get tiresome typing the same info every couple of months, but if I keep putting it out there, maybe the general population will start to realize that these helicopters are not breaking any laws.

jj
Guest
jj
7 years ago
Reply to  Hugh Manatee

That’s odd because a different pilot said they are not allowed to fly below 500′ as did the sheriff when I called them so maybe the rules have changed? There have been multiple times a low flying chopper ended up running cattle and horses off of cliffs, like old skool camp style. The military even got a Lil slap on wrist for jets flying in honeydew/Petrolia valleys a few years back as they aren’t allowed to fly that low. Why would the sheriff ask for the number on the chopper to investigate if it’s not illegal? And why did CLMP track all the low flying choppers for all those years if not illegal?

Hugh Manatee
Guest
Hugh Manatee
7 years ago
Reply to  jj

FAR 91.119 -you guys can read it for yourselves.

Sheriffs don’t know squat about FARs.
Pilots don’t always know them very well either unfortunately.

I have been flying for 30 years and I am pretty sure the rules have not changed during that time.

Asking for the N number is just their go to question as without an N number, you can’t even file a complaint with the FAA.

CAMP made an agreement to not fly lower than 500′ in hope of keeping people happy (and probably not wanting to get shot at) but it was not a law that they do so.

If the helicopters are scaring or damaging your livestock, you can absolutely complain, and could even sue the operator for damages, but not simply because they are flying low.

Military has their own set of rules. They are not bound by the FARs. I have no military flying experience, so I can not comment on what their rules state.

Grr
Guest
Grr
7 years ago
Reply to  Hugh Manatee

Bullshit ! Camp has been sued for killing livestock by flying too low . It’s called harassment of livestock and the federal laws regarding it are getting strict lately . Anyone can be found negligent for their actions , law enforcement as well .

Hugh Manatee
Guest
Hugh Manatee
7 years ago
Reply to  Grr

Maybe you should actually read the post before you reply, as I said one can still sue for damages. I said there is no law prohibiting flight below 500′ not that they were immune from being sued if they caused damage.

Guest
Guest
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  Hugh Manatee

Was the pilot Hugh talked to wearing an old Air America jacket by any chance?

Grr
Guest
Grr
7 years ago
Reply to  Hugh Manatee

Helicopters can not come within 500ft over livestock !!!
This is still a restriction is it not ?

Hugh Manatee
Guest
Hugh Manatee
7 years ago
Reply to  Grr

It is not a FAR. Helicopters have no altitude restrictions.
FAR 91.119

Mogtx
Guest
7 years ago

I heard one this mourning up 36 riverside ,but didn’t bother to look .

Kathy Cezario
Guest
Kathy Cezario
7 years ago

No problem with them flying low, but they actually went pretty low above our pasture today, and spooked our horses. Not a good plan 🙁 pretty expensive livestock .

Eldon G. Whitehead
Guest
Eldon G. Whitehead
7 years ago

In magnifying this Chopper, it’s a blue/white with a greenish tail and dark blue rear stabilizers. Serial number is N19572. Nice being able to magnify things like this to get a real good look at the object.

joggerJohn
Guest
joggerJohn
7 years ago

He serial number is certainly not the one you mentioned.
A serial number is appointed from the manufacturer [edit].
The number your seeing is called the n number, basically the registration number.
It all depends on ownership , military or civilian, government or so on.
[edit]!

Guest
Guest
Guest
7 years ago

I’ve run this number on several searches and it comes back to a 1973 Cessna 150 that is still flying. The number doesn’t expire until the end of May. Hmmm. Sloppy govt. record keeping, or is something spooky goin’ on?

Fatty
Guest
Fatty
7 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Try N1957Z

Hugh Manatee
Guest
Hugh Manatee
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Yes it is.
You must have typed something wrong.

N1957Z is a Bell Jet Ranger owned by Redding Air Services.
Which is who the pilot works for that I spoke with.

Andy Hilkey
Guest
Andy Hilkey
7 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Try N18572.

Guest
Guest
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  Andy Hilkey

N18572 comes back to a Cessna 150 a year older than 19572. Why is the hair on my neck standing up? Maybe I just need a trim.

eastcoastlarry
Guest
eastcoastlarry
7 years ago

They are flying low to check out your scene.
Start cleaning up your trash and haul out your junk.
Expect a visit from the law and water board!
It’s time for you all to pay up that permit money for diverting water and storage.
It will not be funny when they step on your nuts!

Guest
Guest
Guest
7 years ago

Here’s a photo from three years ago.

AH-64
Guest
AH-64
7 years ago

Pardon my naivete but why are so many people concerned with a simple helicopter flying around? Big deal.

jrwhitmore
Guest
jrwhitmore
7 years ago
Reply to  AH-64

drugs, people who grow illegal dope get riled up and paranoid that the man is after them……criminal dirtbags.

truthhurts
Guest
truthhurts
7 years ago
Reply to  jrwhitmore

Nailed it. Roll on full legalisation. Down with greedy growers.

annoyed
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  jrwhitmore

Excuse me? We do not buy into the harmless pot dope story. We are decent law abiding people. & this chopper flies so low it frightens the livestock & pets. Talk about disinformation.

Shak
Guest
Shak
7 years ago
Reply to  AH-64

It can be nerve wracking even for the goody two shoes people. Livestock panic, questionable activities surface, war time flashbacks resurface, and most of all, just because the intruder is not touching the road surface does not mean it does not feel the same as if a trespasser were driving through your private property.

Anne
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Shak

I know this is an old post but I’m butting in. For the first time in my life. I observed a helicopter flying what seemed to be less than 500 feet from my house. I spotted it flying from the north of my property. It headed southward away from my property, circled over my neighbor’s property across the street, then it headed northward over and away from my property. It was a blue and white plane. I assumed it was a police chopper.

I like my privacy even though that desire seems to be a thing of the past. I have no love for spies and snoops either. Just like my privacy, peace and quiet. Nothing here to see except a private residence excluding criminal activity and the typical drama that occurs in some neighborhoods on a daily basis. That’s what I spent over 100K to get away from.

Anne
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  AH-64

I have no love for spies and snoops as I posted earlier. Apart from “justifiable” reasons for government or law enforcement to be on my property including invited friends, family or contractors. I would consider any uninvited visitors to be a threat. I assume they are looking for something to loot or for someone to murder. Due to the increased lawless atmosphere in the United States since May 2020. I have every reason to look over my shoulder for the rest of my life.

Bunny Wilder
Guest
Bunny Wilder
7 years ago

Ahhh, well, many many people have PTSD where helicopters are concerned. Listen to Rod Deal’s song Helicopters . It explains everything.

https://youtu.be/Xeh611L2DgU

local woman
Guest
local woman
7 years ago

heard it, than saw it, about 9:30 Harris area. It was flying the power lines, very low…..

Michael
Guest
Michael
7 years ago

Yes, PGand E had a press release about flying Power lines, about 2 weeks ago, they described the aircraft they would be using as a blue and white helicopter.

Watcher2
Guest
Watcher2
7 years ago

N1957Z is a Bell 206 helicopter registered to Redding Air Service. Their web site says, in part, “Power line, pipeline, inspections, aerial survey; Redding Air Service has become well-known in the industry for our wide range of helicopter utility capabilities.”

Jasmine Finley
Guest
Jasmine Finley
7 years ago
Reply to  Watcher2

This is not the helicopter I witnessed over the fire hall! It was blue not green compare the pic and video in the article above.

Hugh Manatee
Guest
Hugh Manatee
7 years ago
Reply to  Jasmine Finley

There has been another copter flying around lately too. It is a dark blue Robinson R44 and it is looking for…. well…. other things 🙂

Georganne Ross
Guest
Georganne Ross
7 years ago
Reply to  Watcher2

Here’s the registration entry for N1957Z from the FAA’s website (did my own research, see screenshot with search results):

G-ma
Guest
G-ma
7 years ago

Helio has a Z after the numbers!!!!!

TT
Guest
TT
7 years ago
Reply to  G-ma

That is it , thanks. G-ma . Here is flightware you can join for free http://flightaware.com/
It has it in Tallahasse but is from Redding air. There is an option that will alert you when it is flying

veteransfriend
Guest
veteransfriend
7 years ago

There are a lot of veterans in our hills who are suffering ptsd and have serious issues with low flying helicopters.
What ever came of the report last week of a “13 car convoy” of law enforcement vehicles proceding up Alderpoint road?
Kym??

David Davidson
Guest
David Davidson
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp
A.H.
Guest
A.H.
7 years ago

Good Fellas: “You wanna see helicopters? I’ll show you Helicopters!” Relax! The smell of guilt draws them like fly’s. Are you feeling guilty? Maybe time for self examination.

Angela Cecil
Guest
Angela Cecil
7 years ago

This is going on right over my head as I write this. It has been going on for at least a couple hours. Just a few days ago it also happened. It was so out of the ordinary NEIGHBORS were disscussing this. ….
I have watched this activity several other times as well.
This time I noticed an airplane involved. It has been circling at a distance but it is obviously by design and working in sync with the BLUE AND WHITE HELI! Something is definitely going on. I feel it would serve everyone to pay more attention to the changes and oddities that are going on throughout the world.
I live in Santa Fe, NM. This makes me feel uneasy and suspicious. I hope they stop soon.

annoyed
Guest
6 years ago

Blue & white small helicopter flying slow at tree top level & below. Hovering over rural private property AFTER dark & before dawn, sometimes broad daylight ALL summer long. Get ID if you can but BE CAREFUL!

annoyed
Guest
6 years ago

This is not legitimate. Opinion: affiliated with socialist/democratic/communist take over & be careful. You do not know what onboard weapons they have. Get ID if you can but be aware if you are obvious you MAY disappear or become terminally ill. This is NOT true American behavior.
This is NOT PP&L or PG&E or any one legitimate. That is all diversionary info tactics.
1 thing I find very interesting is that the chopper flying over our area does not show up in online identification sites. Wonder why that is! Also wonder why all the diversionary info on Trump & nothing was said when creep slick Willy was blatantly sex abusing. THINK! Don’t swallow just any old thing.

Teresa A
Guest
Teresa A
5 years ago

I see it everyday at around 7:30 am flys over my house headed towards whiskeytown/Shasta returns about 5 headed south.