Naval Helicopter Crash: Chopper Vibrated On Landing, Rotor Blades Struck Carrier Flight Deck

A Navy helicopter that crashed and killed five sailors about 70 miles off San Diego on Aug. 31 experienced vibrations before its main rotor struck the flight deck while landing on an aircraft carrier, a report from the Naval Safety Center revealed.

The report said the MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, a model that has been in use by the U.S. Navy since 2002, saw “side-to-side vibrations causing the main rotor to strike flight deck” as it was landing on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln. The aircraft then fell into the ocean, killing the five sailors and injuring five others. At the time of the accident, helicopter operators were said to be “conducting routine flight operations.”

According to The New York Times, a search and rescue operation to save the five sailors who were declared missing after the crash was called off Saturday. Five search helicopters were involved in the search before the sailors were declared dead. Their remains are yet to be found.

A sixth crew member was rescued from the helicopter Tuesday night, Navy Times reported.

The Navy has since identified the deceased sailors. One of them was a female crewmember, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Sarah F. Burns. The other crew members who died were Lt. Bradley A. Foster, pilot Lt. Paul R. Fridley, Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Bailey J. Tucker, and Naval Air Crewman 2nd Class James P. Buriak. Further investigation on the crash is underway.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday expressed his condolences to the deceased sailors’ families. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of five Sailors and those injured following the MH-60S helicopter tragedy off the coast of Southern California. We stand alongside their families, loved ones, and shipmates who grieve,” he said in a statement.

According to aircraft safety expert Matthew Robinson, there are multiple factors that could result in helicopter crashes. Speaking with The New York Times, Robinson said the crash could have been triggered by poor maintenance, unfavorable wind conditions, mechanical failures, and even pilot error.

“We need to be cautious about developing theories before evidence collection and analysis,” Robinson, who was a former aircraft accident investigator with the Naval Safety Center, told the daily.