‘Preventable error,’ fog led to fatal helo crash, report says

[unhappycamper]

An MH-53E Sea Dragon, from Helicopter Mine Countermeasure Squadron (HM) 15, performs mine countermeasure training Nov. 12 aboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) in the Persian Gulf. A similar helicopter crashed in January near Corpus Christi, Texas. The accident was blamed on weather and crew confusion.


‘Preventable error,’ fog led to fatal helo crash, report says
By Andrew Tilghman - [e-mail]
Posted : Sunday Oct 12, 2008 12:49:02 EDT

Foggy weather and crew confusion led to a fatal helicopter crash near Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, according to a Navy investigation.

The crew probably misinterpreted the navigation equipment on its MH-53E Sea Dragon, which was flying a training mission after dark, when it struck a 1,000-foot television tower, according to the report obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.

Killed in the Jan. 16 crash were co-pilot Lt. Joshua Gross, 30, of New York; Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class Alexander LeMarr, 25, of Colorado; and AW2 David Davison, 22, of Oklahoma.

The pilot was the crash’s only survivor. Lt. Cmdr. Howard B. Fabacher, 36, was seriously injured and has not been returned to flight status.

Cloudy weather severely limited the crew’s visibility and forced them to rely solely on their navigational instruments, the report says.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/navy_53crash_101208w/%2e