2016 United States Marine Corps helicopter collision

Helicopter collision 2016 United States Marine Corps helicopter collision File:USS San Diego Flight Operations 140725-M-CB493-017.jpg 1.1 A US Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion similar to ones involved Accident 2016 01 14 Mid-air collision Off Oahu, Hawaii, United States 12 (all) 0 Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion United States Marine Corps (USMC) 163061 6 6 0 Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion USMC 161255 6 6 0 On January 14, 2016, two Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters from the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing of the United States Marine Corps collided over the Pacific Ocean off Oahu's North Shore in Hawaii.[1][2] Each helicopter carried six Marines from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 (HMH-463), based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay. Search and rescue crews found the debris field from both aircraft.[3][4] On January 20, all twelve crew members were declared deceased.[5] They were Maj. Shawn M. Campbell, 41, of College Station, Texas; Capt. Brian T. Kennedy, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Capt. Kevin T. Roche, 30, of St. Louis, Missouri; Capt. Steven R. Torbert, 29, of Florence, Alabama; Sgt. Jeffrey A. Sempler, 22, of Woodruff, South Carolina; Sgt. Adam C. Schoeller, 25, of Gardners, Pennsylvania; Sgt. Dillon J. Semolina, 24, of Chaska, Minnesota; Sgt. William J. Turner, 25, of Florala, Alabama; Cpl. Matthew R. Drown, 23, of Spring, Texas; Cpl. Christopher J. Orlando, 23, of Hingham, Massachusetts; Cpl. Thomas J. Jardas, 22, of Fort Myers, Florida; and Lance Cpl. Ty L. Hart, 21, of Aumsville, Oregon.[6] Accident thumb|Kaneohe Bay, in background. Mokapu Peninsula, the site of the Marine air station, is in the middle-ground The two aircraft, Pegasus 31 and Pegasus 32, departed in the late evening hours on a routine training mission from the Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay and flew over the North Shore in the vicinity of Haleiwa. They were conducting complex maneuvers in formation when Pegasus 31, with the less-experienced pilot, fell a little behind Pegasus 32.Cole William 2016-10-26 Report: Pilot error blamed in Marine copter crash that killed 12 off Oahu https://www.staradvertiser.com/2016/10/25/breaking-news/report-pilot-error-blamed-in-marine-copter-crash-that-killed-12-off-oahu/ live https://archive.today/20240517101449/https://www.staradvertiser.com/2016/10/25/hawaii-news/report-pilot-error-blamed-in-marine-copter-crash-that-killed-12-off-oahu/ May 17, 2024 2024-05-17 Honolulu Star-Advertiser en Pegasus 31 increased speed in the dark to catch up to the other helicopter. The low light conditions prevented the pilots from seeing each other's craft as Pegasus made a sharp left turn in front of the less-experienced pilot.Stauffer Zachary Paladino Jason 2016-10-25 Pilot Error, Lack Of Training Blamed For Deadly Marine Helicopter Crash https://www.civilbeat.org/2016/10/lack-of-training-blamed-for-deadly-marine-helicopter-crash/ live https://archive.today/20240517064142/https://www.civilbeat.org/2016/10/lack-of-training-blamed-for-deadly-marine-helicopter-crash/ May 17, 2024 2024-05-17 Honolulu Civil Beat en Local residents later reported hearing two distinct explosions.16 January 2016 Hawaii helicopter crash: debris sighted as search continues for missing marines https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/16/hawaii-marines-helicopter-crash-debris-sighted live https://archive.today/20160124140153/http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/16/hawaii-marines-helicopter-crash-debris-sighted January 24, 2016 January 16, 2016 The Guardian A resident on a beach reported seeing the two helicopters flying in the distance, then a fireball.Kelleher Jennifer Riker Marina Massive search off Hawaii for 12 missing Marines suspended http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HAWAII_HELICOPTER_COLLISION_MOOL-?SITE=MOKEN&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT deviated https://web.archive.org/web/20160129231657/http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HAWAII_HELICOPTER_COLLISION_MOOL-?SITE=MOKEN&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT January 29, 2016 January 21, 2016 The Daily Dunklin Democrat via Associated Press Recovery and salvage The search and rescue operation involved the United States Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines, Army MEDEVAC helicopter crews, the Navy, and the Honolulu Fire and Police departments.Marine Helicopters Crash off Oahu, Search Under Way https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/coast-guard-marine-helicopters-collide-off-hawaiis-oahu-36310170 live https://web.archive.org/web/20160117081843/https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/coast-guard-marine-helicopters-collide-off-hawaiis-oahu-36310170 January 17, 2016 January 17, 2016 ABC News Search for 12 Marines in Hawaii Helicopter Crash Hampered by Weather https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/search-12-marines-hawaii-helicopter-crash-hampered-weather-n498026 live https://archive.today/20240517102249/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/search-12-marines-hawaii-helicopter-crash-hampered-weather-n498026 May 17, 2024 January 16, 2016 NBC News16 January 2016 Search for 12 Marines continues after Hawaii helicopter crash http://wgntv.com/2016/01/16/search-for-12-marines-continues-after-hawaii-helicopter-crash/ live https://archive.today/20240517102219/https://wgntv.com/news/search-for-12-marines-continues-after-hawaii-helicopter-crash/ May 17, 2024 January 16, 2016 WGN-TVSearch by air, sea for 12 missing Marines enters 4th day http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/30973775/search-by-air-sea-for-12-missing-marines-enters-4th-day live https://web.archive.org/web/20160119192825/http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/30973775/search-by-air-sea-for-12-missing-marines-enters-4th-day January 19, 2016 January 18, 2016 Hawaii News Now Rough weather complicated the search. Winds blowing at 23 miles per hour sent debris in many directions. Waves 30 feet high made it hard to see debris between them. Eventually all four of the life rafts were found on the water's surface during the 5-day search, but there was no evidence that they had ever been used by the helicopter crews.Coast Guard suspends search for 12 missing Marines http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/31006515/coast-guard-to-suspend-search-for-12-missing-marines-at-sunset bot: unknown https://web.archive.org/web/20160122093400/http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/31006515/coast-guard-to-suspend-search-for-12-missing-marines-at-sunset January 22, 2016 January 20, 2016 Hawaii News Now 20 January 2016 The rescue operation turned to recovery and salvage on January 19 and the crew members were assumed dead.20 January 2016 Search suspended for Marines missing in Hawaii helicopter crash http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/19/us/hawaii-military-aircraft-collision/ live https://archive.today/20240517103325/https://www.cnn.com/2016/01/19/us/hawaii-military-aircraft-collision/ May 17, 2024 January 20, 2016 CNN In April, the remains of nine of the twelve crew members were recovered. Large portions of the wreckage was located in 325 ft of water. The ensuing investigation found that all crew members were killed instantly.Harkins Gina 17 January 2016 12 missing Marines identified after helicopters crash in Hawaii https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2016/01/17/12-missing-marines-identified-after-helicopters-crash-in-hawaii/ live https://archive.today/20240517061640/https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2016/01/17/12-missing-marines-identified-after-helicopters-crash-in-hawaii/ May 17, 2024 17 May 2024 Marine Corps Times en Three of them are still missing.April 15, 2016 Military recovers 9 of 12 Marines killed in Hawaii crash, but not Minnesotan http://www.startribune.com/military-recovers-9-of-12-marines-killed-in-hawaii-crash/375794251/#1 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20160416222758/http://www.startribune.com/military-recovers-9-of-12-marines-killed-in-hawaii-crash/375794251/#1 2016-04-16 January 21, 2016 Minnesota Star Tribune via the Associated Press Investigation The Marine Corps' investigation found that both airframes were mechanically sound and in good repair. The immediate cause of the collision was pilot error, but the Marine Corps identified underlying causes contributing to this. The Super Stallion is oldest and largest of Marine helicopters. The ones belonging to the Marine Corps were put to hard use in Iraq and Afghanistan and never adequately refurbished afterward. Super Stallions are out of production and spare parts are so difficult to procure that the Corps itself was manufacturing some of these parts. Therefore Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 (HMH-463) didn't have the parts to keep enough helicopters flight-ready. They had to cannibalize parts from other aircraft around Hawaii in order to make it to training exercises in Australia in 2015. Across the Marine Corps, only 5 of every 16 Super Stallions were flyable at any given time. HMH-463 failed an inspection in September, 2015. They were unable to get 50% of their helicopters in the air by Thanksgiving and even though maintenance crews worked 12 hours daily there were days during the month of the crash that no helicopters were able to fly. This prevented pilots from accumulating the pilot training hours they needed. According to the copilots, they were supposed to be training 16 hours a month but were lucky if they flew 10. When pilots don't fly, their skills get rusty. In addition, two of the pilots were not adequately trained in the use of night-vision goggles. Three days before the crash their commander, Lt. Col. Edward Pavelka, was relieved of his command for not getting enough helicopters flying. He told his superior, Brigadier General Russell Sanborn, commander of the 1st. Marine Aircraft Wing, "If the General wants up aircraft, the Marines will get him up aircraft," implying that his firing would not solve the problem and that his successor would feel forced to either file false reports of flight or send Marines up in improper conditions. Squadron members reported low morale. The maintenance crews were fatigued by the grueling work schedule and air crews were worried by their lack of flight hours. Aftermath On January 20, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter made a statement honoring the crew members. "These proud Marines died as they lived, in service to a country they loved and in dedication to a cause greater than themselves," Carter said. Carter thanked the Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine personnel for their involvement in rescue operations.Secretary of Defense Ash Carter Statement on Marine Helicopter Tragedy https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/643805/secretary-of-defense-ash-carter-statement-on-marine-helicopter-tragedy/ live https://archive.today/20240517103442/https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/643805/secretary-of-defense-ash-carter-statement-on-marine-helicopter-tragedy/ May 17, 2024 January 21, 2016 US Department of Defense A memorial service for the lost Marines was held Friday, January 22 at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.20 January 2016 Search for 12 Marines ends without finding survivors after helicopters crash http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/2016/01/19/search-12-marines-ends-without-finding-survivors/79037672/ live https://archive.today/20240517103459/https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2016/01/20/search-for-12-marines-ends-without-finding-survivors-after-helicopters-crash/ May 17, 2024 January 20, 2016 Marine Corps Times References 30em 21.6139 -158.1325 title Category:2016 in Hawaii Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion Category:Accidents and incidents involving United States Navy and Marine Corps aircraft Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States in 2016 Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in Hawaii Category:History of Oahu Category:January 2016 in the United States Category:United States Marine Corps in the 21st century Category:Mid-air collisions involving military helicopters