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 #82-23728

Near Angel Fire, NM.

11 May 2005


HH-60G #82-23728 (Call sign "Ghost 69") of the 512th Rescue Sq., 58th SOWg. at Kirtland AFB, NM. on an instructor proficiency training sortie impacted the crest of a small knoll, on the Angel Fire Vietnam Memorial property, and then violently rolled left, ejecting the flight engineer, TSgt. Scott A. Bobbitt, from the cabin, then came to a rest on the upper left side of the fuselage. The flight engineer, who was on his "fini" flight prior to retirement, was killed. The pilot and co-pilot were treated for minor injuries. The helicopter caught fire shortly after impact.


~Source~


http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2005/HH-60G_ExecutiveSummary.pdf



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AIRCRAFT

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

HH-60G, SIN 82-23728

Angel Fire, New Mexico 11 May 2005


On 11 May 2005, at approximately 1314 hours local time, an HH-60G aircraft, S/N 82-23728, crashed near Angel Fire, New Mexico during an instructor proficiency training sortie. The mishap aircraft was assigned to the 512th Rescue Squadron, 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. The aircraft's flight engineer, who was on his "fini" flight prior to retirement was fatally injured. The mishap pilot and co-pilot were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital and released the same day. The aircraft was totally destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire.

 

Shortly after taking off from the Angel Fire Airport for a return flight back to Kirtland AFB, the mishap pilot performed an over-flight of the Vietnam Veterans National Memorial in Angel Fire, New Mexico.  The mishap pilot executed a 35-degree bank tum around the memorial allowing the flight engineer to view a helicopter displayed on top of a hill at the memorial.  The mishap pilot was unable to roll out of the tum and the aircraft impacted the crest of a small knoll on the Vietnam Memorial property.   The aircraft's main rotor blades struck the ground near the crest of the knoll, followed by impact of the right main gear and right side of the belly of the aircraft.

 

The aircraft then violently rolled left, ejecting the flight engineer from the main cabin, and came to rest on the upper left side of the fuselage.  The aircraft caught fire shortly after impact.

 

The Accident Investigation Board President determined, by clear and convincing evidence that the mishap was caused by pilot error coupled with challenging environmental conditions.

 

Specifically, the mishap pilot failed to maintain sufficient altitude above terrain while entering the tum around the Vietnam Memorial. This error placed the helicopter lower than 300 feet above the terrain, initializing the mishap sequence. Additionally, the prevailing environmental conditions at the mishap site were not readily conducive to helicopter flight. The combination of high pressure and density altitude, and strong mountain winds resulted in degraded helicopter performance, responsiveness, and control.  The mishap pilot's loss of control at low altitude completed the mishap sequence.

 

Additionally, there were multiple contributing factors to this mishap, supported by substantial evidence.  The general complacency of the flight crew in planning the mission, their inattention during flight, and their channelized attention on the Vietnam Memorial prior to the mishap adversely and directly impacted their situational awareness and resulted in poor crew communication immediately prior to the mishap.



            



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