I seen a chinook almost crash on our destroyer once. The rear wheel slipped off the back of the flight deck. The pilot quickly went to full power and pulled out.
Any mishap with a helicopter can turn deadly within seconds. I think they operate on that fine line of being able to fly but not really supposed to.
I had the experience of riding a Chinook 46 rising straight up with no forward airspeed in 1968 (an unauthorized medivac flight). That bird is magnificent!
You certain that that was a Chinook and not a Sea Knight?