Posted on 02/08/2024 5:19:47 AM PST by V_TWIN
Here is the Marine Corps subreddit if anyone has an interest in that arena:
https://www.reddit.com/r/USMC/s/CPB7zipcSS
Likewise V_Twin. Likewise.
Latest reporting reveals that the helicopter was found at the 5,800’ elevation.
Not that it matters to the deceased or their families, but was this a controlled flight into terrain, a mechanical issue gone bad, a high velocity downdraft near a ridgeline, or something else?
A few hundred feet higher and the bird would have cleared the local terrain, and it would have been clear sailing to their San Diego base, unless the crew had the really bad luck of flying straight into Cuyamaca Peak (6,515’).
At one point in the flight, the helo. would have to ascend high enough to clear the White mountains, and the Sierra Nevada mountains, both of which have towering peaks of well over 14,000’ in elevation.
A preliminary investigation will likely be forthcoming and may point to causation, such as weather being a factor, a mechanical issue or pilot error, using empirical data from the flight recorder.
I’ve flown in these behemoths, and twice there were anomalies. Once, passengers had to relocate from the back of the bird to the front as the center of gravity was too far aft, owing to a pallet of ammunition being the primary cargo load.
Another time when I was the loan passenger with some equipment strapped to the floor, the tail fuselage/rotor assembly, somehow got out of trim and whipped rapidly sideways scaring the hell out of me and the four person aircrew. The pilot sent the door gunner to the back of the bird to see if he could spot something that caused the freaky motion. Thankfully, the pilot brought the helo. out of the whiplashing motion or else I wouldn’t be here posting to this thread.
lone passenger
Following up with USMC helo.’s deceased aircrew roster. RIP
EXCERPT:
Military officials have identified the five Marines killed in a helicopter crash Tuesday that occurred during stormy weather in San Diego’s East County.
They have been identified as:
Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief.
Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief.
Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho, a CH-53E helicopter pilot.
Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire, a CH-53E helicopter pilot.
Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Michigan, a CH-53E helicopter pilot.
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5 Marines killed in helicopter crash in San Diego’s East County identified
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