Marine Corps Report Cites Pilot Error in Helicopter Crash That Killed 5 in California
The CH-53E Super Stallion, callsign 'TIGER 43,' was conducting a routine flight from Imperial County Airfield to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar when it crashed into a mountain ridge on Feb. 6, 2024.
U.S. Marine Corps investigators found that the pilots failed to maintain safe obstacle clearance and did not adhere to visual flight rules visibility requirements, likely due to spatial disorientation caused by challenging environmental conditions, according to a May 7 Corps
The investigators confirmed there was no evidence of material or mechanical failure in the helicopter.
The five Marines lost in the crash were Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, Sgt. Alec Langen, Capt. Benjamin Moulton, Capt. Jack Casey, and Capt. Miguel Nava, all members of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
(Top L–R) Capt. Jack Casey, Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, and Sgt. Alec Langen. (Bottom L–R) Capt. Benjamin Moulton and Capt. Miguel Nava.
Marine Corps via AP
The helicopter disappeared late on Feb. 6, 2024, during a storm, and its wreckage was found the next morning near Pine Valley. Recovery efforts were disturbed by rough terrain and severe weather, and Marines stayed with the fallen until their bodies could be recovered, in keeping with the Marine Corps' tradition of never leaving a Marine behind.
Related Stories
5/7/2025
5/6/2025
'We have been confronted with a tragedy that is every service family's worst fear,' Lt. Col. Nicholas J. Harvey, commanding officer of the squadron, said at the time of the accident. 'The Flying Tigers family stands strong and includes the friends and community who have supported our squadron during this challenging time. We will get through this together.'
The May 7 statement said the investigation faced some limitations, including the inability to access certain onboard flight data and obtain exact real-time weather information. Investigators used available data and simulations to reconstruct the events leading to the crash.
Following a review of the investigation, the commanding general of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing relieved the HMH-361 commanding officer of command on Nov. 18, 2024, citing a loss of trust and confidence.
While the officer's actions were not found to be a direct cause of the crash, the commanding general determined that he had demonstrated poor judgment and should have exercised greater care in his duties, according to the investigation report.
In response to the findings, the Marine Corps has implemented multiple changes to policy and training across the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The Corps also extended gratitude to the first responders and investigative teams involved in the aftermath and investigation of the crash.
From
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Fox Valley Marines growing a proud legacy
When the Fox Valley Marines walk by you and your family and friends at Friday's Fourth of July parade in downtown Aurora, make sure to give them a special shout-out. The U.S. Marine Corps is celebrating its 250th birthday this year – reason enough to show your appreciation. However, this local Detachment 1233 of the Marine Corps League, which covers Kane and Kendall counties but extends outreach beyond those borders, deserves a special round of home-grown applause. That's especially true because about a decade ago, the detachment had lost so many members – through death or relocation – it nearly shut down. In fact, Ted Clinnin, who was senior vice commandant of the group at the time, notified Marine Corps League headquarters in Washington, D.C., about the dilemma. But when he learned all remaining funds of a shuttered detachment must go to the national organization rather than stay local, those surviving members became determined to not only stay afloat but find ways to grow. Chalk it up to a Marine's 'gung-ho attitude,' noted Clinnin, proudly noting the Fox Valley roster has gone from seven to nearly 60 since 2015, with about half those members showing up regularly at each monthly meeting at the Oswego American Legion Post. And yes, its reach is also growing. For example, the group is one of a handful of the Illinois region's 40 detachments that have formed a partnership with Scouting. According to Clinnin, in one year alone, members have presented 44 Eagle Scouts – from Hampshire to St. Charles to Aurora to Naperville to Sandwich – with its Good Citizenship Award, along with the coveted Marine's Ka-Bar combat knife that stands on a wooden eagle, hand-carved by one of its members as a way of dealing with PTSD. 'The kids love seeing us there and we have a good time,' said past Commandant Tom Bulin, who told me he's done about 215 of these presentations over the years. The local Fox Valley Marines also team up with Scouts to do service projects for veterans. Most recently, Montgomery Troop 12 put in a full day doing yard work Saturday at the Batavia home of Marine veteran Kyle Moser, who lost both his legs above the knee in 2011 during a combat mission in Afghanistan. You may remember from a previous column that Moser was having issues after a property reassessment upped the tax bill on his specially-adapted home – a gift from Jared Allen's Homes for Wounded Warriors – that disqualified him from a state tax exemption for disabled veterans. Multiple veterans groups rallied behind Moser's situation, including the Fox Valley Marines and member state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, who convinced the Batavia Township Assessor's Office to take another look at the numbers. And earlier this week a 'certificate of error' was issued, which means Moser will receive a 100% refund on the $7,000 he paid in property taxes this year, and that going forward the value of his home will not exceed the exemption cap. Helping veterans is a huge part of what this local detachment does. Members offer educational scholarships for Marine families, provide honor guards as well as 'casket watches' at funerals, and help support the Fox Valley Young Marines of Elgin, as well as the award-winning Marine Corps JROTC program at Romeoville High School. In addition, members contribute to local food pantries in Aurora, Naperville and Sugar Grove, and for a number of years the group has held its own drive-through food distribution at Phillips Park in Aurora. A huge chunk of funding comes through its Fox Valley Marine Corps League Golf Classic, an annual event that on Aug. 13 will bring 144 golfers together at Bliss Creek in Sugar Grove. 'They are amazing. It is the best outing you can go to,' insisted Shari Frieders, executive director of Between Friends Food Pantry in Sugar Grove. 'We show up with a tent, have a great time. And they make a generous donation at the end.' 'Our goal is to help,' said Clinnin, who was a college student in 1967 when he decided that rather than be drafted, he was better off enlisting in the Marines where 'they would teach me the best way to survive' and return home. 'We have a great group,' he added, pointing out that the men and women who are members of the Fox Valley Marines range in age from the mid-20s into the 80s, and includes professors, police officers, business executives, truck drivers and other professionals who can offer a wide variety of ideas and opinions. And fortunately, new blood is replacing those who die or move out of the area. Troop 12 Assistant Scout leader and Senior Vice Commandant Andrew Kajtsa, who joined the Fox Valley Marines last year 'after a pamphlet was left on my car,' told me the group is committed to getting more exposure and stepping up recruitment, particularly for the younger generation of veterans who will carry this proud legacy forward. 'Supporting local veterans means standing with those who stood with us,' noted Nelson Santos, founder and CEO of Scientel Solutions LLC, which contributes a significant dollar amount to these veterans from its own annual golf fundraiser. 'Organizations like the Fox Valley Marines exemplify this commitment, making a real, lasting impact in the lives of veterans right here in our community,' he continued. 'Their dedication reminds us that honoring service begins at home.' It all comes down to helping veterans and the community, insist longtime Fox Valley Marines members Clinnin and Bulin, who look forward to seeing you at the Independence Day Parade in Aurora on Friday morning. Show them (and all veterans, for that matter) your appreciation, not just for what they've done but for what they continue to do.
American Press
6 days ago
- American Press
PHOTO GALLERY: Local World War II veteran laid to rest
1/10 Swipe or click to see more U.S. Marines from Truck Company, 23D Marine Regiment in Baton Rouge remove the casket holding the remains of PFC Harry LeBert, who was killed in action during World War II in the Battle of Siapan. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 2/10 Swipe or click to see more Family, friends and community members watch as U.S. Marines from Truck Comany, 23D Marine Regiment carry the casket of PFC Harry LeBert, who was killed in action during the Battle of Saipan during World War II. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 3/10 Swipe or click to see more Family, friends and community members watch as U.S. Marines from Truck Comany, 23D Marine Regiment carry the casket of PFC Harry LeBert, who was killed in action during the Battle of Saipan during World War II. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 4/10 Swipe or click to see more U.S. Marines from Truck Company, 23D Marine Regiment in Baton Rouge carry the casket holding the remains of PFC Harry LeBert, who was killed in action during World War II in the Battle of Siapan, during funeral services on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetary in Jennings. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 5/10 Swipe or click to see more Hundreds gathered at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetary in Jennings on Wednesday, July 2025, to honor PFC Harry LeBert, who was killed in action during the Battle of Saipan in World War II. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 6/10 Swipe or click to see more Marines from Truck Company 23D Marine Regiment in Baton Rouge perform a 21-gun salute at the funeral of PFC Harry LeBert at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetary in Jennings on Wednesday. LeBert was killed in the Battle of Saipan during World War II 80 years ago, but his remains were not identified until earlier this year. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 7/10 Swipe or click to see more U.S. Marines Capt. Chase Steffens (left) and 1st Sgt. Rakim Means prepare to fold the American flag that covered PFC Harry LeBert's casket during funeral services on Wednesday at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetary. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 8/10 Swipe or click to see more U.S. Marines Capt. Chase Steffens (left) and 1st Sgt. Rakim Means fold the American flag that covered PFC Harry LeBert's casket during funeral services on Wednesday at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetary. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 9/10 Swipe or click to see more U.S. Marines Capt. Chase Steffens (left) and 1st Sgt. Rakim Means fold the American flag that covered PFC Harry LeBert's casket during funeral services on Wednesday at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetary. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 10/10 Swipe or click to see more U.S. Marine Capt. Chase Steffens gives Ronald LeBert, grandson of PFC Harry LeBert, an American Flag during funeral services for PFC LeBert on Wednesday at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Jennings. LeBert was killed during the Battle of Saipan in World War II. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) U.S. Marine Harry LeBert, who was killed in World War II during the Battle of Saipan, was buried Wednesday in the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Jennings. (Photos By Rodrick Anderson)
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Yahoo
Retirement Memoir: Help is on the Way
This is Chapter 3 in our Mighty MilSpouse Retirement Memoir, a monthly series written in real-time by military spouse Lindsay Swoboda. Read Chapter 1: Now What, and Chapter 2: Don't Stay for the Comfort. When we were stationed in Hawaii, we lived in a small Ohana house behind a local family. And by family, I mean they became our island grandparents. An adorable couple in their seventies who carried plates of sweet pork up our house steps when their kids came over for a BBQ, made a quilt for our newborn daughter, and welcomed all our island visitors with a warm wave and smile. As I start to reminisce about our journey in military life, I can't help but notice the common threads that bind us. We have always had support from others woven throughout our story. We were surrounded by our military family on the island, too, which was a balm to my weary military spouse's heart when Ryan deployed two times. I remember standing in our small house, the palm trees swaying outside, and stroking my enormous pregnant belly. I stared up at the Christmas decorations, far out of my reach, that were stashed in the annex space of our bedroom. I bemoaned to my friend Miranda later in the week that it would be so lovely to get them down, but I dared not climb the shaky ladder necessary for their retrieval. With a health factor that made my pregnancy high-risk, I was warned from carrying heavy weight (and I'm sure, but proxy, climbing high ladders). By that evening, her husband, a fellow Marine in my husband's battalion, showed up at my door. 'I hear you need your Christmas decorations,' he said, and asked me where the ladder was and where to go. It took him less than fifteen minutes to accomplish the task. I was stringing lights and pulling out ornaments, full of contented joy, all evening. When Ryan came back from deployment, he came home to the extra comfort of the Christmas season. There are perhaps hundreds of these instances across our family's time in the military—gifts of time and help, with no need for payback. I have watched someone's child for a week because she needed to get home for an unexpected funeral. This trusting mama had never even seen me before. I'll never forget finally meeting her when she returned, and the hug we exchanged. I had been able to take care of her most precious someone, and her service member was able to remain on mission. I told her it was my honor. I know she would have done the same for me. Is this rare? The community exchange of caring for one another? During our time in the greater military family, there has been a general understanding that we show up and we take care of one another. We haven't been able to control world conflict or the rampant grief cycle that is military life. However, we can bring over hot meals, offer a free ride to the airport, and provide spontaneous babysitting. We can sit with one another in the painful moments, and also have evenings where tears of laughter stream down our faces. These seemingly small efforts have a significant ripple effect. Hope is renewed in the everyday actions we have taken to pull one another along. I should have known the same would be true as we approach the end of active-duty life. Help has been abundant. The help swung into full effect as I made my way to the Military Influencer Conference in Atlanta in September 2024. It was here that I met countless new contacts, all asking similar questions, 'What do you need? How can I help? Tell me your story.' I discovered numerous connections between all of us, and the courage to share that my first book was going to be released in May 2025. One night in the lounge over a late-night dinner, my long-time friend Amanda Huffman encouraged me to read a snippet of the book aloud to the group. With a shaky voice and sweaty palms, I read my favorite part. The reading was met with warm applause and kind boosts of confidence. I also interviewed for a new work opportunity at the conference. I felt that military spouse and veteran-owned companies often want to hire from within 'the family' of existing service and military family members. On another evening, I met the firecracker team of the MilSpouse Transition Program, Anna Larson and Selena Conmackie. It was a friend-at-first-sight kind of meeting. They connected me with the in-person program offering they were holding at a base near me in the fall. I made the trip and received valuable information during the day session. It was comforting to know I wasn't alone in all the questions and concerns I had about Ryan retiring. This journey wasn't just for him. Just as military life had involved all of us moving and weathering uncertainty, getting to the finish line of his time in was going to take all of us, too. The transition program provided us with an incredible workbook of questions to work through as a couple. Ryan and I scheduled a trip to see my parents, and they graciously watched our little ones as we set off on the hiking trails of Arkansas with our workbook. On a high mountain peak, we broke to rest and pulled out the workbook, batted around ideas, unpacked complex topics, and allowed ourselves to talk it out. Help wasn't just on the way, it was here. The conference, the connections made, and the furthering of my education and awareness for what we needed to discuss became healthy catalysts to help us enter retirement season. The help hasn't made our subsequent decisions any easier, but it has brought clarity. Where we were once surrounded by a community that would stand up to defend and fight together, I find that we are now surrounded by those who have gone before, and they want us to succeed. Lately, that has looked like quieter conversations with veterans for my husband. Help looks like asking our extended family for some extra support with the kids, so that we can get a dose of respite. It also looks like forging deeper connections where we now live, as we are starting to think it's the place we intend to stay. We recognize that we don't want to leave the military community completely. We need to be near those who have walked this journey, too. It makes all the difference to have help, and to know that we're not alone. We Are The Mighty is a celebration of military service, with a mission to entertain, inform, and inspire those who serve and those who support them. We are made by and for current service members, veterans, spouses, family members, and civilians who want to be part of this community. Keep up with the best in military culture and entertainment: subscribe to the We Are The Mighty newsletter. Transition Memoir: Leaning in Infertility Memoir: An uncertain future Cancer Memoir: Not done just yet
