UH-1N F.E. Warren AFB 1999
 
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  


UH-1N

F. E. Warren AFB, WY

03 October 1999


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

UH-1N, S/N 69-6602


On 3 Oct 99 at approximately 1523 hours, a UH-1N helicopter (S/N 69-6602) from the 37th Helicopter Flight, 90th Space Wing, F.E. Warren AFB, WY, crashed near Cameron Pass, Colorado. The helicopter was involved in  a search and rescue mission for a missing three year old boy in a heavily wooded valley at altitudes above 8,500 feet.

 

The mishap aircrew consisted of 1st Lt. Sean Stevens (Mission Pilot), 1st Lt. Joseph Alkire, (Mission Co-Pilot), Capt. (Dr.) Kyle Van De Graaff (Mission Flight Surgeon), and TSgt. Lawrence Mason (Mission Medical Technician). A civilian search and rescue worker, Mr. Mark Sheets, was aboard the mishap aircraft at the time it crashed. 1st Lt. Steven, 1st Lt. Alkire and TSgt. Mason suffered minor injuries. Capt. Van De Graaff and Mr. Sheets each required three days in the hospital due to fractures and contusions.

 

The aircrew departed F.E. Warren AFB at 07047 (MDT) that morning, enroute to the search area, approximately 60 miles south southwest. Due to low ceilings and visibility, they flew to the search area generally following interstate 25 south and then Colorado Highway 14 west. At 0832 (MDT), the crew landed at the search and rescue command post. Following a briefing, the crew flew a sortie over the SAR area. After refueling and during the second search sortie, the crew landed and picked up Mr. Sheets. After again refueling at Fort Collins/Loveland Airport, the crew returned to the SAR area and began what they planned to be their final sortie. Shortly after crossing the base camp for a pass up the valley, the mission co-pilot sensed the helicopter sinking. He pulled up to maximum power in an effort to arrest the sink, but that failed and the mission pilot came on the controls. The mission pilot also tried to increase power and airspeed, but this too did not work. The helicopter impacted the trees and came to rest on a sloped rocky mountainside at approximately 8,600 feet. The helicopter was damaged beyond repair. There was no damage to private property.

 

This mishap occurred primarily due to the mission pilots flying to low and too slow for the altitude, terrain, and winds/turbulence. Once the aircraft began to sink, they did not have enough power, airspeed, or altitude to recover - - they had no escape route. A contributing factor to the accident was the unit’s overconfidence in their high altitude flying abilities coupled with a high motivation to succeed at the SAR mission.



             



"FREEDOM ISN'T FREE"

~SOMEONE PAYS FOR YOU AND ME~


"HELICOPTERS" - THE ONLY WAY TO FLY


~NEVER FORGOTTEN~