1988 — Oct 25, USMC CH-46 and UH-1N Helicopters Crash, Goldwater Range, AZ — 10

–10  Daily News Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Marine Helicopter Crash Kills 10.” 10-27-’88. 3.

–10  Huntingdon Daily News, PA. “Helicopter Crashes are being probed.” 10-26-1988, p. 2.

–10  LA Times. “2 Marine Helicopters Crash on Maneuvers in [AZ] Desert; 10 Die.” 10-27-1988.

–10  Pacific Stars and Stripes, Tokyo, Japan.  “CH-46 has been in other crashes.” 6-2-1989, 2.

 

Narrative Information

 

Oct 25:  “Associated Press…. Oct. 25, 1988, two Marine helicopters, a Boeing CH-46 and a Bell UH-1N, apparently collided above the Arizona desert, killing nine Marines and one Air Force officer. The helicopters were taking part in a training exercise and the pilots were wearing night vision goggles.” (Pacific Stars and Stripes, Tokyo, Japan. “CH-46 has been in other crashes.” 6-2-1989, p. 2.)

 

Oct 26:  “Yuma, Ariz. (UPI) — Two Marine helicopters crashed in the Arizona desert while practicing night maneuvers, killing all 10 men aboard, authorities said today.

 

“The accident came one day after a National Guard helicopter crashed in the California desert, killing all eight men aboard.

 

“The Marine choppers, a CH-46 and a UH-1N, were on a training mission as part of a weapons tactics instructor course that brought together 81 Marines from bases nationwide, said Staff Sgt. Hal Wheeler of the Marine Corps Air Station at Yuma. It was not immediately clear what caused the crash or whether the two helicopters collided. Wheeler said officials believed the 10 men aboard were practicing with night vision equipment. “The course takes place twice each year to teach advanced tactics to pilots so they can become instructors,” Wheeler said. “It’s a graduate-level course. Our most talented people are involved.”

 

“The 7:45 p.m. crash Tuesday occurred over the Barry Goldwater Gunnery Range, 125 miles southeast of Yuma, in airspace controlled by the Air Force, Wheeler said. ‘Because it took place on a bombing range, we’ve had to wait until first light to investigate,’ he said.  ‘There is a real concern of the possibility of unexploded bombs out there’.” (Huntingdon Daily News, PA. “Helicopter Crashes are being probed.” 10-26-1988, p. 2.)

 

Oct 27:  “Gila Bend, Ariz. (AP) – Two Marine Corps helicopters crashed in the desert during a night training exercise, killing all 10 people aboard, the military said Wednesday. Lt. Mary Baldwin, a Marine spokeswoman, said she had no details on the cause of the crash Tuesday evening or whether the two airships had collided.

 

“The search and recovery were hampered because of fear of unexploded ammunition at the site on an Air Force range and because of its remoteness, officials said.

 

“The copters went down about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday approximately 125 miles southeast of the Marine Corps Air Station at Yuma, officials said.

 

“The two helicopters, a Boeing CH-46 with four men aboard and a Bell UH-1N with six men, were taking part in the final training exercise of a course at the Yuma base for weapons and tactics instructors, base spokesmen said.

 

“Crew members were using night-vision goggles that take light from the moon and stars and intensify it, said Gunnery Sgt. Hal Wheeler, a spokesman at the base.

 

“The course is an advanced program in battle tactics, including moving personnel from place to place, rescuing wounded, countering enemy weapons and aircraft and handling other battle duties.

 

“Many of the victims were assigned to Yuma, about 180 miles southeast of Phoenix, for the seven-week course only, authorities said. The crash site was accessible only by helicopter or four-wheel drive vehicles, said Baldwin.

 

“Course graduation ceremonies planned for Wednesday at the base were canceled.

 

“The crash was the second in the course’s history. In 1984, two Marines were killed when their twin-engine OV-10 observation plane crashed on the range.

 

“The twin-rotor CH-46 Sea Knight, which Boeing stopped building in 1971, is the Marine’s main assault helicopter.  Three Marines were killed in May when a CH-46 crashed during a test flight from Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station in Hawaii.

 

“A Marine CH-46 carrying 21 men crashed in 1986, killing eight aboard, during a NATO exercise off Norway.” (Daily News Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Marine Helicopter Crash Kills 10.” 10-27-’88. 3.)

 

LA Times: “….Four people were in the Boeing Vertol CH-46 and six were in the Vietnam-era Bell Huey. Those aboard were instructors and students. The CH-46 Sea Knight can carry 25 battle-equipped Marines and the UH-1 can hold 10 Marines. The Huey was stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County and the CH-46 was from the Marine Corps Air Station at New River, N.C. Two members aboard the Huey were from Camp Pendleton….

 

“Four of those killed were identified as Marine Maj. William C. Walker III, 35, Clinton, Mo.; Capt. Herbert L. Heyl Jr., 33, Ft. Meymouth, Fla.; Capt. Steven T. Andrews, 36, Cincinnati, Ohio; Capt. Timothy J. Kitt, no age or hometown available, an exchange helicopter pilot from the U.S. Air Force. They were all attached to the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1 in Yuma.

 

“Also killed in the crash were Capt. Kenneth L. Royal, 28, Chattanooga, Tenn; Capt. William Stuber, 34, Chicago; Cpl. Allan J. O’Neil, 20, Ft. Atkinson, Wis.; and Cpl. Henry J. Horvath, 24, Beallsville, Ohio; all were stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station at New River, N.C. Cpl. Don L. Waid, no age or hometown available, also was listed among the dead. He was from Camp Pendleton. The name of the 10th victim was withheld pending the notification of his family….” (Los Angeles Times George Frank). “2 Marine Helicopters Crash on Maneuvers in [AZ] Desert; 10 Die.” 10-27-1988.)

Sources

 

Daily News Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Marine Helicopter Crash Kills 10.” 10-27-1988. p. 3. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=150543150

 

Huntingdon Daily News, PA. “Helicopter Crashes are being probed.” 10-26-1988, p. 2.  Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=102329386

 

Los Angeles Times George Frank). “2 Marine Helicopters Crash on Maneuvers in [AZ] Desert; 10 Die.” 10-27-1988. Accessed 7-13-2016 at: http://articles.latimes.com/1988-10-27/news/mn-470_1_marine-corps

 

Pacific Stars and Stripes, Tokyo, Japan. “CH-46 has been in other crashes.” 6-2-1989, p. 2.  Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=133304058