HH-60G Afghanistan 2003
 
UH-1F Eglin AFB 1966   UH-1F DMAFB, AZ 1967   UH-1F Malmstrom AFB 1967   UH-1F Eglin AFB 1969   UH-1F Edwards AFB 1971   UH-1F Ellisworth AFB 1971   UH-1N FT. Bragg 1973   HH-1H Hill AFB 1974   UH-1F F.E. Warren 1975   UH-1F Ellsworth AFB 1982   UH-1F Whiteman AFB 1982   UH-1N Bahamas 1984   UH-1 Ellsworth AFB 1986   UH-1N Edwards-Jan-1991   UH-1N Edwards-Oct-1991   UH-1N Kirtland AFB 1996   UH-1N 1998   UH-1N F.E. Warren AFB 1999   UH-1N Kirtland AFB 2002   TH-lH Ft. Rucker 2009   UH-1N Malmstrom AFB 2010   UH-1N Kirtland AFB 2011   UH-1N Minot AFB 2013   CH-3C Malmstrom AFB 1965   CH-3C Sheppard AFB Mar. 1967   CH-3 Sheppard AFB Nov. 1967   CH-3E Midair in Laos 1970   HH-3E Korea 1973   HH-3E Elmendorf AFB 1974   HH-3E Iceland 1979   CH-3E Patrick AFB, 1984   HH-3E Osan 1984   HH-3E 29-Palms 1988   HH-3E Kadena 1989   CH-3E DMAFB 1989   H-5G Ladd AFB 1951   H-5H Maxwell AFB 1953   H-5 New York 1958   H-13G Niagara Falls 1955   H-13 Bryan AFB, TX 1957   H-19A San Marcos 1952   H-19A O'Neill, NB. 1953   H-19B Alexandria, LA. 1954   H-19B Austria 1954   H-19B France 1954   H-19B Korea 1954   H-19B March AFB 1954   H-19B Rhine Main AB 1955   H-19B Eglin AFB 1955   H-19 Skaneateles Lake, NY 1956   H-19 Ashiya Japan 1957   H-19 Edwards AFB 1957   H-19 Niagra Falls 1959   H-19 Sheppard   H-19B Loring AFB 1960   H-19 Beal AFB 1963   H-19 Larson AFB 1963   H-19 Saigon, RVN 1964   YH-21 Thule AB 1953   H-21 Goose Bay 1954   H-21A San Marcos TX 1955   H-21B Tennesse 1955   H-21 San Diego, CA 1956   H-21 Alaska 1957   H-21 Goose Bay 1958.   SH-21 Greenland 1958   H-21 Elmendorf AFB 1958   H-21 Dugway Proving Grnd. 1958   H-21 Goose Bay 1959   H-21 Greenland 1959   CH-21B Otis AFB 1959   H-21 Indian Springs AAF 1961   H-21 Luke AFB 1961   H-23B Moody AFB 1953   H-43A James Connally AFB 1959   H-43B Loring AFB 1961   H-43B Westover AFB 1961   HH-43B MacDill AFB, FL 1964   HH-43B Stead AFB 1965   HH-43B Clark AB, PI 1966   H-43 Sheppard AFC, TX 1966   HH-43B Phan Rang 1968   HH-43B MacDill AFB 1969   HH-43B Hill AFB 1973   HH-53C Eglin AFB 1969   CH-53C Germany 1975   CH-53C Germany 1976   HH-53C Woodbridge 1977   HH-53C Kadena AB 1979   HH-53B Kirtland AFB 1981   HH-53C Kirtland AFB 1982   MH-53 Philippines 1984   CH-53C Pope AFB 1984   HH-53C Hickam AFB, HI 1985   HH-53C Hill AFB 1986   HH-53H Nellis AFB 1986   MH-53J Korea 1995   HH-53B Vance AFB 1996   HH-53B Cherry Point 1998   MH-53J Ft. Bragg 1999   MH-53M RAF Mildenhall 2000   MH-53 Durango CO 2002   MH-53M USNS Kanawha 2002   MH-53M Afghanistan 2003   MH-53M FOL Hurlburt Fld 2003   MH-53M Kuwait 2003   MH-53M Hurlburt Fld. 2007   UH-60A Pope AFB 1987   HH-60G New York 1991   MH-60G Antigua 1991   HH-60G Great Salt Lake 1992   HH-60G Davis-Monthan AFB 1994   HH-60G Korea 1994   HH-60G Indian Springs 1998   HH-60G Al Jabar AB 1999   HH-60G Avon Park 2001   HH-60G Mt. Hood 2002   HH-60G Afghanistan 2002   HH-60G Afghanistan 2003   HH-60G Afghanistan 2004   HH-60G Angel Fire, NM 2005   HH-60G Kandahar 2007   HH-60G Afghanistan 2009   HH-60G Okinawa 2013   HH-60G Lakenheath 2014   HH-60G Lakenheath 2014 1   HH-60G Lakenheath 2014 2   Ellsworth AFB 1955   Hawaii crash 1963   Patuxent River NAS 1960   Randolph AFB 1957   Spokane River, WA 1959   Tyndall AFB 1961   Wright-Patterson 1956   Spokane River 1972  


HH-60G #97-26778

Afghanistan

23 March 2003


HH-60G #97-26778 (Call sign "Komodo 11) of the 347th RW, 41st RQS, crewed by Lt. Col. John Stein (P), Capt. Tamara L. Archuleta (CP), SSgt. Jason Hicks (FE), MSgt. Michael Maltz (PJ), SSgt. John Teal (AG) and Sr. Amn. Jason Plite (PJ) crashed while on a medical evacuation mission in Afghanistan. The helicopter was doing a night low level air refuleing when is disconnected and impacted the terrain. Six crewmembers were fatally injured and the helicopter was destroyed.

 

 http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2003/HH-60G_FOL_23Mar03.pdf


 

AIR FORCE RELEASES AFGHANISTAN HELICOPTER

ACCIDENT REPORT


Posted: Tuesday, December 6, 2005 2:19 am - Updated: 2:30 am, Fri Sep 12, 2014.


MOODY AIR FORCE BASE -- The primary cause of a helicopter crash that killed six Moody Air Force Base airmen in Afghanistan remains undertermined, according to an Air Force accident report.

 

Brig. Gen. Gregory Power, vice commander, Headquarters 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, LA., released the findings of the report Thursday at Moody.

 

Power served as Accident Investigation Board president in determining why the HH-60G crashed on March 23.

 

Killed in the crash were Lt. Col. John Stein, 1st Lt. Tamara Archuleta, Staff Sgt. John Teal, Staff Sgt. Jason Hicks, all of the 48th Rescue Squadron; and Master Sgt. Michael Maltz and Senior Airman Jason Plite, both with the 38th Rescue Squadron. Power praised them as heroes.

 

"They served their country with honor and were dedicated to winning the global war against terrorism," Power said. "I would like to give my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of these great airmen, and I hope that no one will forget the sacrifice they made so that others might live."

 

The accident occurred during the inflight refueling of the HH-60G that was enroute to an urgent medical evacuation for two children. During the refueling, the helicopter disconnected from the HC-130P aircraft that was refueling it and hit the ground a few seconds later, where it was destroyed.

 

From an analysis of the helicopter and coroner's report, the board is convinced that the crew died instantly with the impact of the crash.

 

"The reason we know that they died instantly -- because there was no indication on any of the crew members of inhaling any of the fuel fumes or things of that nature after the impact," Powers said.

 

The report indicates three factors contributed to the accident.

 

The HC-130P was flying at an altitude of 350 feet above ground level, which was 150 feet below the required altitude of 500 feet, Powers said.

 

Second, the illumination reduced the effectiveness of the night vision goggles the crews were wearing, which caused spatial disorientation and loss of situational awareness.

 

The third factor was the terrain's high altitude was at 9,000 feet above sea level. That, combined with a climbing 30-degree bank turn during refueling, made it difficult for the helicopter to maintain its refueling position, Power said.

 

Also, the autopsy performed on Stein found that the main artery to the aircraft commanders's heart had a 95-percent blockage. "The board could not determine whether he possibly was having chest pains or an irregular heart beat or possibly even a heart attack," Power said. "The autopsy was able to just determine there was this blockage."

 

The annual flight physical last fall on Stein, 39, didn't show any alarming signals that the medical community is trained to look for. His blood pressure and cholesterol level were normal, and he had passed his annual bicycle test, which monitors the heart.

 

Although there are accidents involving aircraft in the Air Force, Power wasn't aware of any similar accidents involving helicopters during refueling operations such as the one that took the lives of the six Moody airmen.

 

During the past few days, Power and another member of the investigatin board led teams that informed the families of the deceased airmen of the board's findings. In virtually all the cases, the families were very understanding, Power said.

 

The hope is that knowing details will help in the grieving process. The families know their loved ones died as heroes trying to perform and important mission.

 

"We'll always remember them with that in mind," Power said. "They were flying a risky mission that search and rescue happens to be and do in all conditions, and we're thankful that we have people like that.

 


            


    




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