The cause of a collision between two helicopters off Hawaii that killed 12 Marines in January was revealed to be a combination of pilot error, poor training, and command problems, according to a new report.
CBS Honolulu affiliate KFMB-TV reports the findings were first revealed by the University of California-Berkeley Investigative Reporting program, and show that the pilots in the night training exercise failed to maintain adequate distance when they went down off Oahu’s North Shore.
The incident happened around 11 p.m. on January 14 when two CH-53E helicopters carrying six crew members each failed to return to their base at Kaneohe Bay following a nighttime training mission. Hours later, a Coast Guard helicopter and C-130 airplane spotted debris 2 1/2 miles off of Oahu.
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http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hawaii-dual-helicopter-collision-12-marines-killed-pilot-error-poor-training/The official report said the pilots’ Kaneohe Marine Corps Base Hawaii squadron neglected to focus on basic aviation practices, leaving personnel ill prepared for the rigors of flying in formation and in the dark. The pilots had apparently not met minimum flying hour goals prior to the exercise.
Additionally, officials believe the flight should have been cancelled because the unit commander had been fired days before the incident.
