BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Super Stallion ‘two times more dangerous than average helicopter’

  • The helicopter was en route to Miramar Air Station but didn't arrive
  • Search efforts are underway for five Marines who were on board
  • CH-53E helicopters have been involved in other incidents

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241114185800

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241115200405

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118165728

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118184948

(NewsNation) — An overnight search shifted into a rescue mission as crews worked to locate five Marines who were aboard one of the military’s most powerful helicopters when its debris was found near San Diego.

The Super Stallion helicopter, renowned for its capacity to carry heavy equipment, went down after taking off from a base in Nevada en route to San Diego. The wreckage was discovered near its intended landing site, prompting concerns about the fate of the occupants.

Rich Martindell, a former Air Force accident investigator, emphasized the challenges posed by the site’s remote and rugged terrain.

“Military personnel are trained to remain with the aircraft after a crash,” Martindell stated in an interview on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports,” noting the difficulties in accessing the area due to adverse weather conditions.

The Super Stallion or CH-53E, the largest and heaviest helicopter in the U.S. military arsenal, has been integral to various operations, including those in Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Despite the Super Stallion’s extensive use by Marines worldwide, concerns over its safety record have emerged as there have been three incidents in the past decade. Martindell cited accident rates higher than the average for marine helicopters, attributing the disparity to mission demands and mechanical issues.

“The normal rate for marine helicopters is about 2.2 accidents per 100,000 hours. The sea stallion is running about 5.9. So it’s almost two times more dangerous than the average helicopter,” Martindell said.

In 2014, a CH-53E crashed while trying to land on a transport dock at sea; however, all 25 people on board survived. In 2016, two CH-53Es crashed into each other during a training exercise near Hawaii, killing 12 Marines. In 2018, a CH-53E crashed during training in California, killing four Marines.

Nighttime operations compounded the challenges, with weather conditions described as “atrocious.” Low visibility and high winds hindered search efforts, delaying the discovery of the crash site by six hours.

“I don’t know that they’ve actually had somebody on the ground there because of the weather and the terrain,” he said.

Questions linger over the potential role of weather in the crash, particularly in light of reports of a rare tornado warning in San Diego earlier in the day.

“They’re going to investigate the whole gamut of possibilities,” he said.

Military

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241119133138

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Fair

la

54°F Fair Feels like 54°
Wind
3 mph ENE
Humidity
96%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low near 50F. Winds light and variable.
50°F Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low near 50F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
2 mph ENE
Precip
15%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Last Quarter