2015 Eglin Air Force Base helicopter crash

Aviation incident in Florida, United States March 2015 2015 Eglin Air Force Base helicopter crash UH-60M of 25th Combat Aviation Brigade near Hawaii in 2014 (cropped).JPG 1.1 A UH-60M Black Hawk similar to the one involved Accident 2015 03 10, 2021:38 Central Standard Time (UTC-7:00) Loss of control due to spatial disorientation resulting from entry into IMC Off the coast of the Florida panhandle, United States 30.4013 -86.8013 type:event inline,titlehttps://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2020.pdf Approximate times of communications, flight data parameters, and flight track 2015 United States Special Operations Command Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk United States Army 13-20624https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/ROI_UH60.pdf Joint SOCOM and LAARNG Investigation: UH 60M (Model Tail Number 13-20624) Accident on 10 March 2015 Resulting in Fatalities 30 March 2015 Department of the Army, Joint Investigation Team: Louisiana Army National Guard United States Special Operations Command 1 March 2021 September 21, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230921023132/https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/ROI_UH60.pdf live 11 7 4 11 0 On March 10, 2015, a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter of the United States Army crashed off the coast of the Florida panhandle during a training exercise at Eglin Air Force Base,http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/11/us/florida-army-helicopter/ U.S. military helicopter crashes off northwest Florida; human remains found CNN March 11, 2015 March 11, 2015 Botelho, Greg March 11, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150311122223/http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/11/us/florida-army-helicopter/ live killing all eleven people on board. The helicopter was reported missing during foggy conditions at 8:30 PM.http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/11/us/florida-army-helicopter/index.html U.S. military helicopter crashes off northwest Florida CNN March 11, 2015 March 11, 2015 Botelho, Greg March 11, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150311122831/http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/11/us/florida-army-helicopter/index.html live The helicopter was assigned to the 1-244th Assault Helicopter Battalion, based in Hammond, Louisiana. Flight The UH-60M helicopter was on a night training flight on March 10, 2015, when it disappeared. The Marines on board the helicopter were supposed to be dropped off by the helicopter and make their way ashore to simulate an over-the-beach landing. They had conducted a similar exercise earlier in the day.Crash Victims Include Decorated Marine https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/14/us/military-releases-names-of-7-marines-killed-in-helicopter-crash.html March 14, 2015 The New York Times 28 February 2021 January 9, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180109064112/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/14/us/military-releases-names-of-7-marines-killed-in-helicopter-crash.html live The helicopter flew into dense coastal fog that night and disappeared, approximately five minutes after takeoff. Passengers and crew There were eleven people on board the helicopter at the time, of whom seven were U.S. Marines assigned to a special operations unit and four were U.S. Army soldiers and members of the Louisiana National Guard.https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-31832888 Eleven missing after US army helicopter crash in Florida BBC March 11, 2015 March 11, 2015 The Black Hawk helicopter was piloted by Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4) George Wayne Griffin Jr., 37, and CW4 George David Strother, 44; both were members of the 1st Battalion (Assault) of the 244th Aviation Regiment, a unit of the Louisiana Army National Guard (LAARNG). The Marines on the helicopter were assigned to Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) Raiders Team 8231, based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2015/11/01/black-hawk-tragedy-orders-were-ignored-and-11-men-died/ Black Hawk tragedy: Orders were ignored and 11 men died Lilley, Kevin November 1, 2015 Marine Corps Times 1 March 2021 February 24, 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20240224130816/https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2015/11/01/black-hawk-tragedy-orders-were-ignored-and-11-men-died/ live https://geauxguard.la.gov/louisiana-national-guard-helicopter-accident-media-advisory/ Louisiana National Guard helicopter accident March 2015 Louisiana National Guard 1 March 2021 December 1, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231201130706/https://geauxguard.la.gov/louisiana-national-guard-helicopter-accident-media-advisory/ live Helicopter The helicopter, assigned tail number 13-20624, was new. Sikorsky installed the engines in August 2014, completed flight tests on the aircraft that December, and maintenance personnel ferried it from NAES Lakehurst in Lakehurst, New Jersey to Hammond in January 2015. At the time of the accident, it had approximately 60 hours of flight time.https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2029%20-%20Part%201.pdf 15-6 Maintenance Investigation Narrative March 2015 United States Special Operations Command 1 March 2021 September 21, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230921023157/https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2029%20-%20Part%201.pdf live Events At approximately 1945 CST, CW4 Griffin was briefed on weather conditions prior to launch; the UH-60M piloted by CW4 Griffin and CW4 Strother (operating under callsign MOJO 69) took off with another LAARNG UH-60M at 2016 CST to perform the training exercise.3 CW4 Strother was recorded saying "Gee, it's dark as (expletive). That don't help none," shortly after takeoff.https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2019.pdf Audio Transcription for Investigation of the 10 March 2015, Class A Accident, UH-60M, 13-20624, Case No. 20150310_2022_13-20624 2015 United States Special Operations Command 1 March 2021 February 24, 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20240224010133/https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2019.pdf live Timestamp 7:35.538 Once MOJO 69 crossed the shoreline, they entered what the investigation later called a Degraded Visual Environment at approximately 173 seconds after takeoff;4;14 the other UH-60M did not follow MOJO 69 into the fog, choosing instead to turn east and hover.4 Four seconds after one of the aircrew noted they were over the water, CW4 Griffin noted "Yeah, it's too dark to see the (expletive) water."10:05.838 thumb|right|upright=1.5|Illustration showing MOJO 69 flight path, 10 Mar 2015 After entering the fogbank, both pilots of MOJO 69 started exhibiting signs of spatial disorientation, according to both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice transmission transcripts;4 MOJO 69 came to zero knots indicated airspeed and began flying backwards almost immediately after losing visual references. This deviated from the mission path, and CW4 Griffin, the pilot-in-command, failed to announce the deviation, providing evidence that he had become disoriented without realizing it.14 MOJO 69 turned on their position light and asked the other helicopter's flight crew to put on their position light as well; the other helicopter's crew radioed back that they could not see MOJO 69.10:10.554–10:36.576 During this time, MOJO 69 flew backwards for approximately 20 seconds before CW4 Griffin announced he was "coming back to the right ... pulling back to the East",10:22.056 not realizing he had instead turned to the north.14 As MOJO 69 continued backwards, it turned right about the yaw axis and took a nose-up pitch attitude of 20 degrees.14 Approximately 56 seconds after the first signs of spatial disorientation, CW4 Strother announced "we climbed up in it" and asked "where's our airspeed?"14 10:56.316;10:59.142 Both pilots showed "increasingly erratic flight control inputs" and had "anxious verbal exchanges" at this point:4 CW4 Griffin commanded rapid climb and descent maneuvers and put the aircraft into a spin.14 CW4 Strother asked "G-Wayne, what are you doin'?"11:03.980 and asked him to climb;11:06.544 CW4 Griffin responded that he was "climbin' up" after approximately twenty seconds11:26.780 and CW4 Strother warned him about the spin five seconds after that.11:31.844 Approximately 96 seconds after first showing spatial disorientation, CW4 Griffin asked CW4 Strother to take the controls,14 11:36.520 but both pilots were unable to regain control of the aircraft.4 CW4 Griffin warned CW4 Strother to "watch the collective" twice11:41.561;11:44.067 and took the controls back 8 seconds after relinquishing them to CW4 Strother.4 CW4 Strother suggested engaging the autopilot,11:46.436 but this was not successful as the aircraft was already "outside the required flight parameters",4  and CW4 Strother first warned CW4 Griffin they were "in a bad right turn",11:49.653 then to "watch your altitude, attitude G-Wayne attitude, level" in quick succession.11:55.557 The last recorded cockpit voice transmission was CW4 Strother urging "climb, climb".12:00.695 MOJO 69 crashed into Santa Rosa Sound,14 approximately 125 seconds after entering the fog.4 Both the speed and angle of impact were not survivable.14 Search thumb|right|Adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, Maj Gen Glenn Curtis briefs the media about the accident on March 11, 2015 (photo by MSgt Toby Valadie) Debris from the crash was found on March 11 at 2 AM around Okaloosa Island. The search for the passengers, which focused on waters east of Navarre, Florida, was hindered by heavy fog in the area. On the morning of March 11, a spokesman for the Eglin Air Force Base said that human remains had been found in the area of the search.https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/03/11/army-helicopter-crashes-in-florida-7-marines-4-soldiers-missing/ Human remains found in search for 11 service members involved in helicopter crash Washington Post March 11, 2015 March 11, 2015 Phillip, Abby November 7, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171107222001/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/03/11/army-helicopter-crashes-in-florida-7-marines-4-soldiers-missing/ live The wreckage was later found in 25 ft of water off the coast of Navarre.The New York Times Hope of Finding Survivors in Army Helicopter Crash Fades March 12, 2015 https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/13/us/army-helicopter-wreckage-found-no-survivors-expected.html January 8, 2018 January 9, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180109064217/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/13/us/army-helicopter-wreckage-found-no-survivors-expected.html live By March 12, the bodies of two soldiers on board the helicopter had been recovered,https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/12/helicopter-crash-florida-army-training/70201280/ At least 2 bodies recovered from helicopter crash USA Today 12 March 2015 12 March 2015 Robinson, Kevin January 4, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180104192304/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/12/helicopter-crash-florida-army-training/70201280/ live and by March 17, all 11 bodies from the crash had been recovered and identified.http://www.pnj.com/story/news/military/2015/03/16/last-soldiers-killed-crash-recovered/24850781/ Last of soldiers killed in crash recovered Pensacola News Journal Kevin Robinson March 17, 2015 March 22, 2015 April 2, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402131133/http://www.pnj.com/story/news/military/2015/03/16/last-soldiers-killed-crash-recovered/24850781/ live Investigation A later investigation conducted by LAARNG and SOCOM concluded that the cause of the crash was spatial disorientation, resulting in the pilots crashing into the Santa Rosa Sound.Reports: Cause of Black Hawk crash released http://www.pnj.com/story/news/military/2015/06/03/blackhawk-crash-cause/28445525/ June 3, 2015 Pensacola News-Journal 28 February 2021 January 1, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180101190457/http://www.pnj.com/story/news/military/2015/06/03/blackhawk-crash-cause/28445525/ live Contributing causes included the pilots' choice to fly in weather and visibility that did not meet minimum requirements and a breakdown in aircrew communication, both before and during the mission.15;16 CW4 Griffin had been briefed on March 7 that operations with night vision goggles could be conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) only, establishing minimum requirements for the cloud ceiling [1000 ft] and visibility [3 mi 0]; these requirements were subsequently included and acknowledged on all mission briefing sheets.3 Contrary to these VMC minima requirements, both helicopters took off in conditions with low clouds and poor visibility;3 Hurlburt Field, which was the closest weather facility to the accident site, was showing visibility of 1 mi and a cloud ceiling of 300 ft at 1958 and 2058 CST that night.11 In addition, prior to takeoff, an observer at the drop zone called Hurlburt Field to receive a weather report at 1926 CST, concerned that he could not see the lights of the 300 ft tall control tower, which was approximately 2.3 mi from his position. The observer voiced his concerns about the visibility by telephone to Master Sergeant (MSgt) Thomas Saunders, one of the Marines assigned to fly on MOJO 69 that night. CW4 Griffin stated he was unconcerned, as his flight path would keep him away from the tower and that he had the required ceilings to fly the mission.12 CW4 Strother and the rest of the MOJO 69 aircrew did not challenge CW4 Griffin's decision to proceed with the mission in the face of deteriorating weather, because of their confidence in CW4 Griffin's judgment and piloting skill. This occurred despite individuals exhibiting trepidation about "the weather and the lack of ambient illumination". In addition, once CW4 Griffin began exhibiting spatial disorientation, the transfer of controls and assistance with interpreting flight instruments "were not adequately executed" and the two pilots were unable to assist each other to flight under instrument meteorological conditions effectively.16–17 Memorials A year after the crash, friends and families of the crash victims participated in the Marine Raider Memorial March, carrying heavy rucksacks over a 770 mi km mid -long course from Florida to North Carolina. Seven teams of two or three people participated; each team marched over a 11 mi on segment before being relieved by another team for the next segment, with the march scheduled to complete on March 21.https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/03/14/this-is-how-some-of-the-nations-biggest-badasses-are-grieving-their-fallen-friends/ Pain on the open road: How elite Marine Raiders are remembering their fallen friends Lamothe, Dan March 14, 2016 The Washington Post 1 March 2021 October 24, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191024002839/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/03/14/this-is-how-some-of-the-nations-biggest-badasses-are-grieving-their-fallen-friends/ live The marchers bore a paddle recovered from the wreck and upon arriving at Camp Lejune, presented it to the commanding officer of the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion.https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/699137/marine-raiders-march-770-miles-in-remembrance/ Marine Raiders march 770 miles in remembrance Lee, Donovan March 21, 2016 United States Marine Corps 1 March 2021 A documentary film covering the march was released in October.June 2024 A memorial sculpture was unveiled in Navarre Park in November 2016, with the names of the 11 servicemen engraved. The memorial, which was designed by local artist Randy New and built by Corey Swindle in Alabama, was organized by a group of 35 community leaders.https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2016/11/18/black-hawk-memorial-unveiled-navarre/94075072/ Black Hawk memorial unveiled in Navarre Robinson, Kevin November 18, 2016 Pensacola News Journal 1 March 2021 October 10, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231010190055/https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2016/11/18/black-hawk-memorial-unveiled-navarre/94075072/ live https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20161118/officials-unveil-navarre-black-hawk-memorial Officials unveil Navarre Black Hawk Memorial Judnich, Tony November 18, 2016 NWF Daily News 1 March 2021https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=99711 In Memory of UH-60M Crew "Mojo 69" The Historical Marker Database 1 March 2021 January 27, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230127202819/https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=99711 live The memorial is the destination of the annual Rucking for Raiders march from Auburn University; the 210 mi on march started in 2017 to honor Raider Team 8231.http://ocm.auburn.edu/newsroom/news_articles/2017/05/auburn-university-navy-rotc-members-march-to-honor-fallen-marines.php Auburn University Navy ROTC members march to honor fallen Marines May 8, 2017 Auburn University 1 March 2021https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20190510/rucking-for-raiders-honors-fallen-marines Rucking for Raiders honors fallen Marines Thompson, Jim May 10, 2019 NWF Daily News 1 March 2021 References Investigation https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/ROI_UH60.pdf Joint SOCOM and LAARNG Investigation: UH 60M (Model Tail Number 13-20624) Accident on 10 March 2015 Resulting in Fatalities 30 March 2015 Department of the Army, Joint Investigation Team: Louisiana Army National Guard United States Special Operations Command Redacted https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/Pages/MARSOC-LAANG-UH-60-Helicopter-Incident.aspx MARSOC/LAANG UH-60 Helicopter Incident 2015 United States Special Operations Command Selected exhibits 25em 1: 21 March 2021 21 March 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210321104735/https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%201.pdf https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%201.pdf Sworn Statement March 19, 2015 United States Special Operations Command 2: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2019.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20210320232929/https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2019.pdf E-Mail traffic in reference to AR 15-6 Report of Investigation: UH 60M (Model Tail Number 13-20624) Accident Resulting in Fatalities 2015 United States Special Operations Command March 20, 2021 3–7: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%202.pdf Memoranda: Coordination between Louisiana Army National Guard and 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion Statement Sworn Statement Statement regarding planning and selection of Louisiana Army National Guard support for 1–14 March HAVE ACE East MSOC H Statement for HAVE ACE Training 8–13 March 2015 March 2015 United States Special Operations Command 8–10: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%208-10.pdf Brief sheets and RAWs from March 11–13th Training Support for MARSOC (memorandum) Authorization to Provide Training Support to Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC) (memorandum) March 23, 2015 United States Special Operations Command 11: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2011.pdf Sworn Statement March 25, 2015 United States Special Operations Command 12–15: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2012-15.pdf Daily Staff Journal Sworn Statement Sworn Statement Eglin Radar Approach control Tape Transcript (memorandum) March 2015 United States Special Operations Command 16–18: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2016-18.pdf Sworn Statement Sworn Statement Flight Data Recorder information March 2015 United States Special Operations Command 19: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2019.pdf Audio Transcription for Investigation of the 10 March 2015, Class A Accident, UH-60M, 13-20624, Case No. 20150310_2022_13-20624 2015 United States Special Operations Command 20: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2020.pdf Approximate times of communications, flight data parameters, and flight track 2015 United States Special Operations Command 21: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2021.pdf Appendix 10: Seats Out Operations 2015 United States Special Operations Command 22–23: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2016-18.pdf Sworn Statements March 2015 United States Special Operations Command 25, Part 1: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2025.pdf Sworn Statement March 20, 2015 United States Special Operations Command 25, Part 2: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2025%20-%20Part%202.pdf Sworn Statement March 25, 2015 United States Special Operations Command 29, Part 1: https://www.socom.mil/FOIA/MARSOCLouisiana%20Army%20National%20Guard/Exhibit%2029%20-%20Part%201.pdf Maintenance Investigation Narrative March 2015 United States Special Operations Command Eglin Air Force Base helicopter crash Category:Accidents and incidents involving military helicopters Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk Eglin Air Force Base helicopter crash Category:March 2015 in the United States Category:Accidents and incidents involving United States Army aircraft