1982 — Sep 11, USAF Chinook Crash, Airshow, ~Mannheim, Germany –(7-8 US) 46
— 46 Baugher, Joseph F. 1974 USAF Serial Numbers. 1-5-2012 revision.
— 46 Chinook-helicopter.com. “74-22292.”
— 46 (8 US) Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, 135
— 46 Socrata, the Open Data Co. Airplane_Crashes_and_Fatalities_Since_1908(1).
— 46 (7 U.S.) Stars and Stripes. 9-11-2003, in Chinook-helicipter.com. “74-22292.”
— 44 Oelwein Daily Register, IA. “U.S. copter crashes at international air show.” 9-11-1982, 1.
Narrative Information
Baugher: “Boeing-Vertol CH-47C Chinook….22292 (c/n B.711) crashed Sept 11, 1982 near Mannheim, West Germany due to mechanical failure Sep 11, 1982. 46 killed. Was participating in Mannheim’s 375th birthday celebration.” (Baugher. 1974 USAF Serial Numbers. 1-5-2012 rev.)
Chinook-helicopter.com. “….Without question, the loss of this aircraft resulted in the worst and most tragic accident to occur in the history of the Chinook and all helicopters in general…..
“The City of Mannheim requested two Chinooks to drop sky divers at the Air Show for the 375th anniversary of the city. Although both helicopters arrived on schedule, instead of two Chinooks executing the mission, someone made the decision to only take one aircraft. The Para-jumpers desired to set a world record by forming the largest joined circle of free-falling sky divers ever accomplished. As a result, 46 people climbed aboard one Chinook. Since there were only 33 seats available in the cabin, 11 people remained standing. The aircraft took off without difficulty.
“The aircrew planned the drop at 13,000 feet. After climbing for about 12 minutes, to an estimated altitude of 8,000 to 9,000 feet, the tower received a message from the aircraft that a problem had developed and it was descending to land. About the same time, the pilot of the second aircraft, observing from the ground, saw 292 start down. Out of curiosity, he jumped in the cockpit of his aircraft and, on the company’s private frequency, made contact with 292. He asked them if they were having any trouble. The pilot of 292 reported a flickering caution light, that a noise was heard, and they were coming down. After a few minutes of autorotation, 292 was set up to land on the runway.
“At the last moment, the aircrew decided there were too many people in the area where they were trying to land. The aircraft was now at approximately 600 feet. The descent was halted in an attempt to cross the autobahn and land on the other side. When power was applied to arrest the descent, the in-flight break-up of the helicopter began. Witnesses on the ground reporting hearing a loud bang and describing a “whooshing” sound. The Aft Rotor Blades were observed departing the airframe. Shortly after the Aft Blades failed, the Aft Rotor Hub, along with half of the Aft Pylon separated from the fuselage.
“A split second after half of the Aft Pylon separated, the Aft Transmission and the remaining portion of the Aft Pylon began to tear away from the airframe. The aircraft slowly rolled onto it’s right side as it continued to descend….
“74-22292 crashed onto the autobahn between Mannheim and Heidelberg, making contact on the helicopter’s right side, in a slightly nose up attitude. Upon impact, 74-22292 burst into a huge fire ball, creating a glowing mushroom cloud above the impact site. The “G” force at impact was estimated at 200. An average 180 pound person aboard the helicopter would have been subjected to a force of 36,000 pounds. There is no doubt that death was instantaneous. At some point after the accident, the Flight Engineer assigned to 74-22292, who was crewing another aircraft that day in support of “REFORGER”, saw what was left of his heavy metal tool box. Stamped permanently into the bottom of the box was a clear impression of a large open end wrench.
“The failure of the Forward Transmission Input Pinion Capsule caused the Number 1 Synchronized Drive Shaft to rotate eccentric and contact the Forward Pylon structure, causing the shaft to fail, followed by the subsequent de-synchronization of the Forward and Aft Rotor Systems. The Forward and Aft Rotor Blades meshed causing the Aft Pylon, Aft Transmission and the Aft Rotor System to separate from the helicopter with catastrophic results. The entire crew and all passengers received fatal injuries. Failure of the Input Pinion Capsule was caused by Walnut Grit blocking the oil journals inside the transmission. Walnut Grit was used to clean the transmission during the overhaul process.
“After the fire fighting foam was washed off the wreckage, all that remained was a pile of wreckage approximately 15 feet wide, 20 feet long, 4 feet high at it’s highest point.
“A story handed down through time via word of mouth was the failure of the Input Pinion Capsule was caused by walnut grit blocking the lubricating oil journals inside the transmission. For many years prior to this accident, walnut grit was successfully used as an effective cleaning agent for the transmissions during the overhaul process. It is softer than the base metal, but harder than the contaminants that accrue inside the transmission. Shortly prior to this accident a procedural change in the process was made. Inspectors working for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) examined the working conditions at Corpus Christi Army Depot. It was noted that high pressure air, approximately 3,000 PSI, was used to blow the walnut grit out of the oil journals. This high a pressure was deemed dangerous to workers and it was ordered that the pressure be lowered. As a result, the walnut grit was no longer completely removed during the cleaning procedure. Eventually, when the transmission was placed into service, the walnut grit would flow through the oil passages and accumulate in a point blocking a journal. A bearing would fail from the lack of lubrication.
“Whether or not the preceding paragraph was entirely true is not clear. What was known was that walnut grit did indeed block the oil journals and cause the failure of the Input Pinion Capsule. Flight Engineers serving in the Army from that time period reported that this accident resulted in a fleet wide grounding and inspection of all transmissions. They went on to report that most of the operational fleet contained walnut grit in many of the transmissions.” (Chinook-helicipter.com. “74-22292.”)
Gero: “Date: 11 September 1982 (c. 12:50)….
“Loaded with mostly French but also German and British civilian sky-divers, who were to have jumped over Neuostheim Airport as part of the city of Mannheim’s 375th birthday celebration, the turbine-engine helicopter crashed after experiencing catastrophic mechanical and ensuing rotor failure.
“All 46 persons aboard perished in the disaster, including the four members of the aircraft’s crew and four other US military personnel.
“The rotorcraft had ascended to an altitude of about 10,000ft (3,000m) before it began to descend without dropping the parachutists. Asked the reason for this, the pilot announced to another pilot who was on the ground, ‘We had some noise in the aft and got a flicker on the master caution panel’. In preparation for landing at the airport, 74-22292 continued in a circling descent and appeared to enter the traffic pattern, turning right and proceeding approximately due south at an estimated air speed of 80 to 90mph (130-145kph).
“After it had reached an approximate height of 500ft (150m) above the ground and while completing a right turn on to the down-wind leg of the circuit for Runway 09, the aft rotor unit, transmission and pylon were seen to separate from the aircraft. The CH-47 then rotated about 180 degrees to the right and fell first in a tail-clown attitude, leveling off in an uncontrolled, vertical descent before finally hitting the ground on its belly and lower starboard side, with its nose slightly low and in an estimated right bank of 45 degrees.
“Impact was on the median of a four-lane autobahn 1,500ft (500m) south of the airport, whereupon the aircraft exploded and burned. At the time, the local weather was hazy but otherwise good, the crew of 74-22292 having taken off under visual flight rules procedures.
“The crash was blamed on bearing failure in the forward transmission pack, which had caused the No. 1 synchronizing drive shaft to rotate in an eccentric manner and come in contact with the forward pylon structure. As a result, the forward and aft rotor systems lost synchronization and meshed, leading to the aforementioned blade and structural failures. Investigation revealed the pinion pack lubricator jets to be clogged with a combination of grease and walnut shell particles, leading to the bearing failure through lack of lubrication, with faulty design the underlying factor. The US Army’s entire fleet of CH-47 helicopters was temporarily grounded for inspection in the wake of the disaster, and a modification of the lubrication system ordered.” (Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, 135.)
Socrata: “Crashed after experiencing catastrophimechanical failure and separation of one of the rotors. The aircraft was carrying French and German sky divers as part of Mannheim’s 375 birthday celebration. Bearing failure in the forward transmission pack.” (Socrata, the Open Data Co. Airplane_Crashes_and_Fatalities_Since_1908(1).)
AP, Sep 11: “Mannheim, West Germany (AP) — A U.S. military helicopter crashed onto a busy West German highway during an international air show today, killing all 44 people aboard, including five American crew members, police said.
“Witnesses reported seeing one of the chopper’s rotor blades fly off. There were also reports the craft exploded on impact. It was not immediately clear whether any vehicles on the autobahn were hit and there was no official report on the cause of the crash.
“A spokesman at police headquarters in this southwestern industrial city said the helicopter, apparently a Chinook, carried five American crew members and 39 skydivers. “Last reports we got from the scene of the accident were that the crew members were Americans, and that the 39 skydivers aboard included members of clubs from England, France and West Germany,” the spokesman said. “They were all dead.”….
“In Heidelberg, a U.S. military spokesman said earlier that West German police reported that the helicopter had taken off from Neu-Ostheim base near Mannheim. “I am not sure, but I believe these skydivers are chiefly civilians who were participating in the Mannheim Air Show,” he said.
“The helicopter had apparently participated in an international air show organized for Mannheim’s 375th anniversary, police said. Organizers of the city-sponsored air show ordered it
canceled, a spokesman said….” (Oelwein Daily Register, IA. “U.S. copter crashes at international air show.” 9-11-1982, 1.)
Sep 11, Stars and Stripes: “Mannheim, Germany – Dozens gathered Thursday at the Neuostheim airport to remember another 911 tragedy. On 11 September 1982, a CH-47C Chinook helicopter from the Coleman Barracks-based 295th Assault Support Helicopter Company was carrying skydivers from France, Germany and Wales when it plummeted 600 feet to the ground during an air show marking Mannheim’s 375th anniversary. Forty-six people were killed, including seven U.S. troops. Five were Chinook crewmembers, while two others were American Forces Network soldiers assigned to cover the jump.” (Stars and Stripes. 9-11-2003; in Chinook-helicipter.com. “74-22292.”)
Sources
Baugher, Joseph F. 1974 USAF Serial Numbers. 1-5-2012 revision. Accessed 3-13-2012 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1974.html
Chinook-helicipter.com. “74-22292.” Accessed 3-13-2012 at:
http://www.chinook-helicopter.com/history/aircraft/C_Models/74-22292/74-22292.html
Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. UK and Newbury Park, CA: Patrick Stephens Limited, an imprint of Hayes Publishing, 1999.
Oelwein Daily Register, IA. “U.S. copter crashes at international air show.” 9-11-1982, 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=103938770
Socrata, the Open Data Co. Airplane_Crashes_and_Fatalities_Since_1908(1). http://www.socrata.com/