Civil Maintenance Journeyworker

Department of Water Resources

6/8/1990

Special Act Award (Gold)

Civil Maintenance Journeyworker Neal C. Perkins, on June 8, 1990, performed an extraordinary act of heroism at great risk to his personal safety and life in rescuing a severely injured pilot trapped in a burning plane. At approximately 6:30 a.m., while enroute to his job at the Department of Water Resources’ Lost Hills Operations Center Mr. Perkins heard sounds of a malfunctioning engine coming from a crop dusting plane overhead. Seconds later, the plane hit the ground. The plane began to burn upon impact as it flipped over, landing upside down in the field. Mr. Perkins immediately stopped his car and ran toward the crash site. As he came closer to the plane, he could hear the pilot calling for help. Award of the potential danger of explosion from leaking fuel and chemicals, Mr. Perkins pushed his way past other observers who tried to restrain him and rushed to the aircraft. Finding both doors jammed shut from the impact, the fire quickly spreading in the engine compartment and thick black smoke filling the cockpit, Mr. Perkins began kicking the door panels and windows to rescue the pilot, who was semi-conscious and hanging upside down in his safety harness. By now several bystanders, with crowbars, had joined him and were successful in forcing the door open. As the door swung open, Mr. Perkins noticed that sulfer, which crates toxic smoke when ignited, was scattered throughtout the interior of the plane. With the danger of an explosion increasing, the bystanders turned fire extinguishers toward the cockpit as Mr. Perkins reached into the plane and released the pilot from his harness, and carried him to safety.