CH-53 crashes

[46Driver]

Saw that a CH-53D went down in Okinawa and a CH-53E in Iraq this past week. Does anybody have any further details?

 

[jarhead]

not much info but at least it doesnt say anybody was killed

S/F


"Public Affairs Office
I Marine Expeditionary Force

Aug. 12, 2004
CAMP FALLUJAH -- A Marine Helicopter crashed in the Al Anbar Province Wednesday while flying in support of security and stabilization operations. Multi-National Force Iraq personnel have secured the crash site. Three personnel have been evacuated from the site and are being treated for injuries. Recovery operations are ongoing. No enemy fire was observed in the vicinity of the aircraft. The cause of the mishap is currently under investigation."

 

[webmaster]

46driver,

Here is a link to the Okinawa crash, in the Stars and Stripes:

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=23809

 

[Clux4]

It looks like the blades broke while inflight. At least no lives were lost.

 

[Q-ball]

Trust me, if the blades broke off in flight no one would have walked away from that crash. The dynamic instabilty plus the blades coming through the fuselage would have torn the bird apart.


Q

 

[46Driver]

I heard it was a tail rotor blade - can anybody confirm this?

 

[46Driver]

I think there might be more in Stars and Stripes - I'll take a look.

 

[webmaster]

Read the stars and stripes, said it was the tail rotor detaching (ground observer), 3 injured, and one seriously injured according to the article...

[threadjack]46, you read the article (I believe in defense weekly, can find it in the early bird, 18AUG) about the audit of the helo companies? Recommendation to go outside of the big three for future contracts, and supplies.... thoughts?[/threadjack]

 

[Mike_FL]

No a tail rotor blade did not fall off, but they did loose tail rotor authority. I cannot go into any more detail then that until the investigation is over with.

 

[phrogdriver]

Now, if we went by the the typical defense critic's views, we should immediately ground all 53s, and cancel any future orders of this obviously unproven helicopter technology.

 

[46Driver]

Normally, this is where I would jump in and say that helicopters are proven by the evidence of the CH-53D´s being 30 years old (and have never been SLEPéd.) However, I am on the beach at Mallorca at sunset, eating cheese and drinking Sangria and much, much too mellow to argue today.....

 

[buckeyes366]

No a tail rotor blade did not fall off, but they did loose tail rotor authority. I cannot go into any more detail then that until the investigation is over with.

Mike do you know anyone that was with HMH-366? What unit are you with. I was a Crew Chief "TEST *****" out there from Aug 97 to Jan 01.

Where was the centering spring?

 

[Mike_FL]

Actually there are a couple of Marines who came to my squadron after 366 disbanded.

As far as the centering spring for the crash...there was nothing it could have done to save the aircraft from going down. Once the AIB is done I will post why it crashed.

 

[buckeyes366]

366 guys

Thanks for the response. Tell both of them I said hi.

Moderator says:
It's best to save your names for use in Private Messages.