10-50 Red

10-50 RED

We lost our Brother Flight Officer Barry Winston Wood

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Flight Officer Barry Winston Wood Click HERE

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On 4 November 1998 as Baltimore mourned the loss of Officer Harold Carey and hundreds of highly polished police cars formed a long procession that would lay him to rest, Barry Wood took to the skies over Pratt Street to answer another call for help. Minutes later, trainees directing traffic listened in disbelief as their radios crackled:

“Signal 13, a Signal 13, 1050 a RED, Foxtrot has Gone Down.” The wail of sirens pierced the crisp morning air, and officers raced to help, what had begun as a routine for call for assistance over Pratt Street ended with engine failure and a catastrophe. An attempt to land his aircraft with a maneuver called “autorotation”, Barry tried to touch down in the B&O Railroad Museum Parking Lot. Foxtrots tail rotor apparently struck either a power line, or a tree which changed the altitude helicopter and drove it into the ground, killing one of Baltimore’s finest. Though severely injured, Barry’s partner and aerial observer Mark Keller would survive the crash, most credit Barry with Mark’s survival, I am sure Mark leads the group of those that praise Barry in saving his life.

When the time came to lay Barry to rest, helicopters from many different agencies flew overhead in tribute as an officer below saluted his flag draped coffin. In the background, a speaker broadcast the dispatcher’s last call for him, “KGA to Foxtrot - KGA to Foxtrot - Foxtrot 10-5 not acknowledging.” The loss of flight officer wood profoundly affected every officer in the Baltimore Police Department because the Foxtrot fleet remained grounded during the extensive follow-up investigation, leaving Baltimore City’s Police Officers to face danger zone until a new fleet of aircraft arrived and resume the role of guardian angels.

As his brothers and sisters of the Baltimore Police Department we will not let him be forgotten, His service Honored the City of Baltimore, and the Baltimore Police Department may he rest in peace, and may God bless him.

Flight Officer Barry Wood was killed in a helicopter crash. Flight Officer Wood experienced a catastrophic engine failure while answering a call for service over Pratt Street. Because of this mechanical failure, Flight Officer Wood attempted to land the aircraft with a technique called auto-rotation. It is speculated that Flight Officer Wood was attempting to touch down in the B & O Railroad parking lot when his tail rotor struck either power lines or a tree. This collision with a fixed object created a change in attitude driving the aircraft into the ground. Flight Officer Barry Wood’s partner, Aerial Observer Mark Keller survived the crash.

 

The Following are some heartbreaking pictures from the terrible day in Baltimore police history