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Helicopter crashes, deaths reported (Afghanistan)
news.com.au ^ | 4/6/05

Posted on 04/06/2005 5:17:42 AM PDT by jmc1969

A US military CH-47 Chinook helicopter has crashed in south-eastern Afghanistan, with officials saying the bodies of at least two Americans have been recovered from the wreckage.

The US military had no official confirmation of the number of casualties from the accident in Ghazni province, US military spokeswoman Lieutenant Cindy Moore said.

But provincial governor Asadullah Khalid said a number of people had died in the crash in Dah Khudaidad district, 2.5km south-west of the provincial capital, Ghazni city.

"I went to the crash site," Mr Khalid said.

"We took two bodies out of the helicopter. There were more than two people in the helicopter.

"They were Americans" he said, without elaborating how he knew their nationality.

Mr Khalid said the crash was due to "bad weather".

(Excerpt) Read more at theadvertiser.news.com.au ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: aghanistan; fallen; oef; planecrash
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To: Phsstpok

Actually, the V-22 isn't replacing the CH-47, it's replacing the CH-46. The CH-47 is actually a good bird with decent speed when unladen. It also has two engines so it doesn't have a nasty habit of falling out of the sky at random intervals like the CH-46. And the CH-47 is operated by the Army, where the CH-46 and MV-22 will are operated by the Marines.


41 posted on 04/06/2005 9:18:42 AM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Phsstpok

They still make the CH-47. The CH-46 is the troop-killer you're thinking of, having killed more Marines than any other helicopter type. It's an unstandable mistake since the two choppers look similar, externally differing in size and number of engines only.


42 posted on 04/06/2005 9:22:40 AM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: jmc1969

16 dead , 4 crewmembers ...all believed to be American..Rest in Peace.


43 posted on 04/06/2005 9:34:14 AM PDT by MEG33 (GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES)
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To: monday
Also, I thought the V-22 was scheduled to enter limited service in 2006? Most are going to the Navy with a few to the Air Force, so I doubt there would be many in Afghanistan or Iraq even if it were in service already.

Assuming it passes the latest series of tests without blatently falsifying the records again, maybe. Real IOC has been pushed back (again) to at least 2007, with the SOCOM version a couple of years afterwards.

Any bets on whether it will meet the latest top-down schedule?

44 posted on 04/06/2005 9:42:13 AM PDT by balrog666 (A myth by any other name is still inane.)
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To: mystery-ak

I think he is referring to the age of the program. They have been around since Nam. A lot of older ones are still around. My unit in Nam had one go down about two weeks before I got there. It injured about 25 or 30 people very badly, but as I remember, no one was killed.


45 posted on 04/06/2005 9:48:01 AM PDT by RetiredArmy (Freedom, dying one court and one socialist democrat decision at a time.)
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To: jmc1969

Ghazni city (and the surrounding Ghazni province) is the AO of my son's unit, the 3d Bn, 116th Infantry, ("Stonewall Brigade") Virginia ArNG. They've been there since July of last year. Anxiety pings to the Shennandoah Valley, where the 3/116th calls home. Pray for our troops.


46 posted on 04/06/2005 10:59:20 AM PDT by Snickersnee (Where are we going? And what's with this handbasket?)
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To: leadpenny

Ahhhhhhh man.

Prayers, MANY prayers for our military and their families.


47 posted on 04/06/2005 12:59:43 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma (aitch tee tee pea colon 2 slashes dubya dubya dubya dot proud patriots dot org)
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To: Phsstpok

Do you have any idea what you're talking about? The CH-47 is a great aircraft, the fastest helicopter in the Army, and has an overall superb maintenance and safety record. Pilots and crews love them, especially the special ops community. Stop talking out of your ass about something you obviously know nothing about. My qualifications: CPT US Army, Maintenance Test Pilot for over 9 years. Ever try and fly in bad weather with little or no nav-aids, with no way of declaring inadvertant IMC? Plus you have the added bonus of flying low level with hostile fire? I didn't think so.


48 posted on 04/06/2005 1:07:41 PM PDT by strider44
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Comment #49 Removed by Moderator

To: strider44

He's confusing the CH-47 with the Marines' CH-46. See my posts above.
The CH-46 is a widowmaking POS.


50 posted on 04/06/2005 2:59:51 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: phantom_tollbooth

The V-22 hover issue has been dealt with and it can hover at 1' to unload troops. Short unload times. As for door gunners, they're going to have a chin turret with a .50 BMG in it, as well as a tail/ramp gunner like the CH-46/47s.


Armed or not, it's STILL going to get less Marines killed than the CH-46.


51 posted on 04/06/2005 3:04:11 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: mad_as_he$$

They are about to new-build some of the CH-47F. A deal was signed during December 2004. First deliveries are expected by 2006.


52 posted on 04/06/2005 3:26:23 PM PDT by Tommyjo
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Comment #53 Removed by Moderator

To: mystery-ak; jmc1969; Admin Moderator

MSNBC reporting 16 dead with two missing. All American.

If they were still 80 miles from Kabul I don't understand why they didn't climb to altitude on instruments?

A few months ago there was a Blackhawk out of Ft. Hood that hit the wires of a radio tower in reduced visibilty.

Sometimes you just can't scud run.

Thanks, AM.


54 posted on 04/06/2005 4:24:07 PM PDT by leadpenny
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To: Phsstpok

The V-22 is and will always be a hangar queen because it's a deathtrap. The Marines should have gone to Blackhawks and Chinooks instead of trying to stay with the CH-46 and 53. If they do make a buy, the SecDef should stipulate that only 07s and above be allowed on as passengers for the first year.


55 posted on 04/06/2005 4:29:58 PM PDT by leadpenny
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To: leadpenny

I don't know.....my hubby, Mike....has been down in Jacksonville Fla for two weeks to pick up his BN blackhawks from Iraq....right now he and 10 other crews are weathered in in Tn....their radios don't work and their instruments are out..Im praying for clear weather tomorrow so they can fly home to Illinois......Im guessing from what Mike has told me about the area, that it was a sudden sand storm......and hitting wires is very common when flying choppers....it's a dangerous business


56 posted on 04/06/2005 4:31:07 PM PDT by mystery-ak (Free Snuggles......pay his ransom by donating to Free Republic..)
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To: mystery-ak

TN wouldn't be a bad place to be weathered in in. . . . unless it's near algore's hometown. Tell hubby to have a safe trip.


57 posted on 04/06/2005 4:53:24 PM PDT by leadpenny
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To: Tommyjo
Hey that's good news. Proven airframe and lots of history. Are they going to give it some more power?
58 posted on 04/06/2005 5:47:56 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$ (Never corner anything meaner than you. NSDQ)
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To: mystery-ak
Ouch sorry to hear that. They are probably slow enough to be real bait for RPG's. The Army must of modified tactics since then to keep them safer.
59 posted on 04/06/2005 5:49:42 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$ (Never corner anything meaner than you. NSDQ)
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To: phantom_tollbooth

They said the same thing about the UH-1 when they used it to replace the pioston-engined choppers. Also, the US-101 got the contract.


60 posted on 04/06/2005 7:25:27 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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