Crashed east of San Diego in the mountains

Heavy snow/cover

Dammm

https://www.ksl.com/article/5087020...hat-crashed-into-mountains-with-5-aboard

Wishing them the best. It's crazy to think that heavy snow would be a factor just 40 miles away from a place as temperate as San Diego.

I saw where they found the wreck a couple hours ago, but weather, snow and rough terrain they are having problems getting to it.

The CH-53 E is a death trap. No way I would ever fly in one those in perfect weather. They were always broke down!
My first year in the Marines Tustin Helo base, I remember one going down in the ocean. They brought back parts to my hangar. As a young Marine I thought damn, I'm glad I don't work on those.
My CH-46's helos never crashed, now it's been replaced with the V-22 osprey which has also been prone to several crashes killing marines.
In my four years working around many helos, I've seen many CH53E grounded .
Prayers for those in the crash.

Flatlander logic.

The area has been getting hammered by the Pineapple Express this year Paul. Parts of the SD area had 3"+ rain in a few hours last week, and more this week. I think I saw somewhere today that Gavin is asking the WH to declare an emergency for the county. I just checked NWS and SD Airport has had 7" rain since Jan 1. Substantial for there where they average less than 10" a year as I recall. And it's still raining there as a relative tells me.

Most folks don't realize there is a mountain range there on the East side of the county that has peaks nearly as tall as the highest peaks East of the Mississippi. Not sure exactly where those Marines went down, but in winter 3" of rain on those mountains probably equal to about 18" snow, just for that storm more is likely falling as I type. And having run around in the area for years as a kid I can tell you if they went down in the really thick chaparral, it's going to be a difficult recovery. A person cannot walk through some places, we had to climb on top, then the next guy climbed over the first, and so on for at least a hundred yards to get back to an area thin enough to walk through. Don't ask how we got into that situation in the first place............teenage boys are good for that kind of thinking.

When I saw the story this morning I was hoping they went down in an area easy to get to. The odds of that occurring there are not that good, especially after I heard the names of some of the locations they were looking.

You couldn't get me on a 53 Echo even at gunpoint! I retired 18 months ago and don't miss flying one bit.

Sounds like they went down in the Kitchen Creek/Mount Laguna area. The area really drops off steep to the east.

Back in the 1980s I used to go shooting/camping out there along Kitchen Creek Road.

Condolences.

Hopefully there will be survivors, but it doesn't sound very good.

I wonder if they were in Las Vegas in support of Biden's recent visit there.

Sad news indeed.

Is Creech AFB in the Las Vegas area? News article I read this afternoon said that's where they left from headed to Miramar.

And yes, that mountain drops off some on the East side, and there are some pretty steep sections in the Kitchen Creek area. If not mistaken it used to be a pretty good spot around there for hang gliders to launch from.

Kitchen Creeks used to be fairly popular shooting spot. Had some good times out there too.

I read that Creech AFB is near Vegas. Never been there myself.

Guess that could have been their assignment then.

Sucks, whatever the deal was. I heard the weather was pretty scheidty that night. Not fun flying over those mountains then.

very sad

Latest report, found, no survivors. Tragic.

Every flyer has a final flight. The lucky ones know about it when they strap in.

Yep

sad deal

https://www.ksl.com/article/5087120...n-diego-are-confirmed-dead-military-says

2" rain that way causes disaster.....here just a welcome shower! Please God...help these Marines!

SEMPER FI

RIP brothers.

How long does the military usually take to determine cause in crashes? Are the findings honest?
Let's say, just irresponsible speculation here, it comes down to mechanical failure or unforeseen weather or pilot error.
Let's say they call pilot error....but the pilot was female....would they tinker with the findings to save the program of putting girls in the drivers seat?
The military did some horrible schidt in history, nuke exposure at Yucca Flats, denial of agent orange cancers etc.
Does the NTSB have any authority?

“The last known contact with the helicopter was at about 11:30 p.m.”

Is it normal to fly helicopters at night over mountains during one of the largest winter storms to hit southern CA? Seems unnecessary to me. RIP to those Marines.

I had the same thought, seems like a rough night to fly.

Creech AFB is 40 miles N. of Las Vegas and is contiguous w/ a vast training area used by all the services. It is a major training/ops site for UAVs and supports many training activities on the Nellis and National Security Site[previously the Nevada Test Site] and Tonopah ranges. Just south of Creech is a combined arms range that is also used by all services. I worked there for 5 years and at the NTS for 12 years. It is a large chunk of Nevada and includes what is known as Area 51. I believe its is the largest secure area in the U.S.A.


mike r

Amen

WELL SAID, Rocky !!!!

This is heartbreaking. RIP and thanks for your service.

The senate just approved another 100 billion to Ukraine and Israel. military so the safety of our servicemen remain a top concern in DC and the pentagon

Seems like really bad weather to flay all the way across California.

When I was in the Air Force, I spent a lot of time flying the HH-53C (Jolly Greens) and the Marines were transitioning to the E models. I know there were quite a a few Marine pilots that were refusing to fly the E because of problems with the rotor head if I am not mistaken.

Night, mountain weather, stormy conditions…

RIP Marines

But I hope changes get made regarding the necessity of such flights under such conditions.

Kinda what I remember seeing several in adjacent hangar with the rotor heads off...and vaguely hearing from other mechanics. They were definitely always waiting on parts.

RIP Brothers!

As I recall, the problem was the new carbon rotor head that the pilots deemed was not reliable, and they made a great case for the fact you never knew when the damn thing would come apart. The older models were pretty reliable. Sounds to me like this was not an aircraft problem, but weather more than likely.

Winter weather, poor vis in the mountains, at night, rising terrain, mechanical failure or even the decision to take off, all or none of these factors could be considered. They’ll figure it out.

The mishap board will normally be led by an O-5 from another unit.

ID'd

https://www.ksl.com/article/5087336...-crash-identified-as-troops-in-their-20s