At approximately 8:50 p.m. on October 23, 1980, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department helicopter crashed and burned in a vineyard located just north of River Road, ½ mile south of the Sonoma County Airport.

Both the pilot, Deputy Sheriff Brent Jameson and, co-pilot, Deputy Sheriff Bliss Magly, were killed instantly upon impact.

At approximately 7:30 p.m. on Thursday evening, the sheriff's department helicopter had responded to assist in an earlier incident wherein a California Highway Patrol Officer had been shot at. The helicopter was summoned to assist in an area search of Ludwig Avenue as the suspect had fled into the rural countryside. The Highway Patrol Officer was not injured, and a short time later a suspect identified as Alfredo C. Fernandez, 23, was arrested and charged with attempted murder.

The helicopter was responding back to the Sonoma County Airport when the crash occurred. Just before the crash, the helicopter crew had been in radio contact with the Sonoma County Airport Tower. The crash occurred only seconds later.