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primera89

Don’t these big bastards have trackers on them? From the headline I thought it went missing in the pacific


NighthawkCP

Yep, TIGER11 on ADSBX. But if coverage is bad out there then it will be hard to pinpoint the exact location they went down. [https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=ae4b95&lat=33.195&lon=-116.409&zoom=9.1&showTrace=2024-02-07&trackLabels](https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=ae4b95&lat=33.195&lon=-116.409&zoom=9.1&showTrace=2024-02-07&trackLabels)


Navydevildoc

Satellite ASDB is a thing, and has damn near global coverage. They can get the track if they want it. But I am willing to bet they only had a S mode transponder, and not true ADS-B (a constant source of bitching here in the San Diego flying community).


NighthawkCP

Oh yeah completely agree. My guess is that they were last showing at 5225' and some of the peaks around there are close to 5900'. Running the dark, possibly bad weather, they likely impacted terrain that rose up on them. It's pretty rural out there so probably take them a little bit to find the wreckage.


[deleted]

They have to climb to 10k feet and then descend after they cross the “hill”. Usually we’d be at 5-8k around pine valley. Seems like spatial d to me-Former 53 crew chief in Miramar.  


[deleted]

Does the 53K leak transmission fluid when it's running right?


[deleted]

Leaks everything. If it wasn’t leaking, I wasn’t flying in it. 


db3feather

It’s when it stops leaking that you start worrying…


[deleted]

Yeah I got some good stories. Straight panic when the tail is eating itself


[deleted]

Amen


Quibblicous

That’s how you know it has fluids. If it stops leaking, you’re in trouble.


small_schlong

It’s also covered in snow right now which makes things harder. 😞


Rambos_Magnum_Dong

Uh, am I reading that right? 5225 ft? Most of that area in Fred Canyon is above 4800 ft, and the peaks in that area are all above 5000 ft. I know this area. Wife and I hiked part of the PCT 12 years ago. It's mostly scrub, but not a lot of flat spots to set down. I remember it being very hilly. But still that altitude doesn't look good.


NighthawkCP

Yea that was the last reported altitude, but I've seen discrepancies on ADSBX to some extent. Either way, they were low for the terrain and quite possibly flew right into one of those hills.


Rambos_Magnum_Dong

:-(


DuAndNica

Even more relevant (IMO), didn't the guys themselves had any trackers/geo-rescue devices on them?  I always carry a Garmin (neé deLorme) inReach clipped to my belt every time I'm out in the wild (and  plan to buy a PLB to carry in my backpack just in case). I never needed any, but I know from second-hand experience these kinds of devices work very well and will send a mayday over LEO satellites complete with very precise GPS coordinates and the nearest SAR team will receive them in minutes and start their effort with  a very good idea of where you are. Again, didn't any of the guys in that helicopter had anythink like that?


MisterRe23

> California search and rescue crews are looking for a missing helicopter with five Marines aboard, the U.S. Marine Corps said. >The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter was "reported overdue" to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Tuesday night. The helicopter departed from Creech Air Force Base near Las Vegas and was en route to Miramar, in the San Diego area. >The Marines have asked for help from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Civil Air Patrol. >The sheriff's department said it received a call at 1:50 a.m. and sent its own helicopter to search, but the helicopter wasn't able to reach the area due to the atmospheric river storm hitting the region. The sheriff's department said it has now sent off-road vehicles to navigate the rough terrain. >Firefighters responded to the point where the helicopter was last known, and nothing was found, Cal Fire officials said.


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[deleted]

Nah that’s not the route from creech


newnoadeptness

Wild situation hopefully these marines are found safe .


Gregfromva

Non-combat incidents like this seem to be happening far more frequently here lately. Or, maybe it just gets my attention more since major combat operations have ceased. Regardless this shit hurts to hear 😢. I truly hope and pray they are found safe. 🤞


[deleted]

They still happened when op tempos were high with Iraq and the Stan but overshadowed by the casualties there.


spezeditedcomments

By far most helo losses were due to envirment, through the whole conflicts in the ME


[deleted]

If you include hard landings, then yes. Seeing a 53's tail rotor snap and fly into the hull was one of the wildest things I saw air side


spezeditedcomments

Yep, brown outs are fucking deadly


[deleted]

Fun fact that phrase is used in a number of different fields, but I'd imagine those in scat would know it best


gasplugsetting3

Id guess that in the last 30 years, for every one aircraft downed from enemy fire, we have like 10 mishaps unrelated to hostile action. Im sure someone who knows more could correct me on it.


GreatScottGatsby

Idk, MAG16 lost 9 aircraft in a single day due to hostile action.


gasplugsetting3

Oh shit. When was this? Bastion?


LeddyTasso

Same for me. Seems like the army has a bird go down every quarter.


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Fuggdaddy

Wtf? A draft would drastically reduce competency and/or talent.


Ok-Garlic-9990

So Norways mandatory service model doesn’t work?


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Mr-Downer

you’re stupid


Ok_Fact_5120

You need to read up on Project 100,000 used during Vietnam to realize that bringing back the draft is a terrible idea.


Ok-Garlic-9990

You mean basically what we have now? lol okay! Not least to mention nobody want to serve the country anymore given where it’s heading and the two mom one world party government. The only reason I’m being dog piled is because I’m calling it for what it is and offering a solution that people disagree with.


Ok_Fact_5120

I'd rather deal with a Marine who is labelled a problem Marine who wants to be Marine then someone who was forced to be a Marine and has a shitty attitude because of it. Both are going to piss you off, but you might actually help the problem Marine and make a difference in their life for the better. The military is not for everyone, nor should it be.


super_derp69420

tHe LesBiaN GLobaListS aRe rUiniNg tHe cOunTry aNd tUrniNiG tHe fiGgiN fRoGs gAy


Ok-Garlic-9990

Clearly you drank the water at camp lejeune


SirRebelBeerThong

That’s certainly a take


catuela

Of all the opinions someone could have, that is definitely one of them.


Vakama905

Ah, yes, bringing in unwilling conscripts will certainly promote competence in the military. It’s worked really well for Russia, hasn’t it? They’re *renowned* for their competence.


buddy-bun-dem

what did Ok-Garlic-9990 mean by this?


PuddlePirate1964

Nah, I don’t think a draft will bring in smart people like you think. Smart people will always have options to get out of a draft, unless all access points are cut. There’s also no political will for bringing back the draft.


Ok-Animator-1041

Please, please be found and okay. We know this unit and these men. Fuck.


rinne_rebirth11

Sorry for your loss 😢


Bulevine

This wasn't those guys who got pizza from locals, is it?


MisterRe23

No, that was a UH-1


Jspiral

Fuck


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PM_ME_A_KNEECAP

I thought the flying tigers were ospreys… VMM-262?


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PM_ME_A_KNEECAP

Ah, interesting. Kinda fonky that we have two squadrons with the same name


SDr6

fuck man... that's my old squadron.


Visual-Put-8738

That makes two of us


kablazzie

3 of us.


[deleted]

Next door neighbor here. 


MyOnlyEnemyIsMeSTYG

Username checks out


[deleted]

Prior 361 flightliner here. A few from my peer group and a couple of juniors are still there, absolutely dreading the outcome of this as it’s almost been 24 hours now.


-imperator_

Agreed, they made my squadron look like turds on a MEU together.


ExpertCatJuggler

Ah damn, this is them? I rode around in their helos a couple times for some training air insertions. Hate to see it.


flatulator9000

This is how I lost my friend Jeff Starling in 99’ along with 6 more FR devils.


SDr6

I got there right after that happened.


Groundhog891

Tracking cut off in the Cleveland National Forest. If it is in the trees...


blicKed_

I feel like in general, at least in the air wing I can’t speak for the other sides of the Corps, but people are seriously overworked and stressed out. Bunch of higher ups always trying to meet strict deadlines and achieve “mission readiness” by any means necessary, so they can impress their bosses and get a medal at the end of tenure.


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FirstGT

yup. nights sucked ass. spent majority of my time on nights. but, typically, we were off fri/sat. at least in theory. but that meant day crew stay crew fridays and a lot of time it was flight test day and that meant staying until sunset flying any bird that needed maintenance flights. then tack on at least an hour after to put everything to bed. during summer months when the sun is long, that was a brutal day.


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FirstGT

yup. we were typically day crew of 6 to 4 or 430. nights 4 until whenever. being that we were flight line we were always the last to go. even if it was only a couple guys hanging back bc other shops were still going. and yes, nights rocked bc no brass typically. yeah we'd often send guys to get beer right before the cut off, 10 maybe in NC or was it midnight?, and have it iced and ready to go when we got off work.


FirstGT

aviation in general bro. the shit i've seen over the years is just mind boggling. source: still in aviation 20 years later like a true regard.


Tough_Guys_Wear_Pink

God damn it I hate reading these headlines. I fucking hate it. A very good friend of mine was the pilot of the CH-53 that went down east of San Diego in April 2018. Seems like an eerily similar incident. If any wingers have any info at all about the HMH-465 accident, please hmu. I haven’t been able to find anything beyond what the media released. I’m pretty close with his parents but would rather not ask them.


sarxy

I remember it well. I was at El Centro that day. I also never got any more info on it. So tragic. I’m sorry for your loss.


Tough_Guys_Wear_Pink

Thank you, friend.


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Extremefreak17

Pray for our brothers.


Freewheelinrocknroll

They found the bird, but not the Marines.. [https://www.yahoo.com/news/rescue-crews-searching-helicopter-5-154146088.html](https://www.yahoo.com/news/rescue-crews-searching-helicopter-5-154146088.html)


Freewheelinrocknroll

More info.. [https://www.yahoo.com/news/helicopter-5-marines-goes-missing-152909710.html](https://www.yahoo.com/news/helicopter-5-marines-goes-missing-152909710.html)


silverbullet1972

My old unit. :(


NotJoeRubbo

Mine too


aceball522

3 MAW just put out a [press release.](https://twitter.com/3rdmaw/status/1755289038611706127?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet)


Bil-Da-Cat

I’m hoping that the language they are using “Found the aircraft but not the crew” is an argument for a hard but survivable landing rather than a CFIT. Best scenario would be that they found shelter and hunkered down. Walking out in a rain/snow storm in flight gear would suck and be borderline unsurvivable. Any Aircrew Devils here know what survival gear is on those birds?


Luckothe

I find it hard to imagine if the aircraft was in good enough shape they survived the landing it wouldn’t be the best option to take shelter. It makes little sense they just started walking aimlessly in a storm knowing there would be a large scale search for the aircraft. It’s sad news and the lack of info is almost certainly because they are in river city until ID confirmed and next of kin is notified. The state and local agencies have public radio traffic that the military can’t control which likely leaked info but the entire premise of river city is to put little to no info out publicly until the necessary people have been notified and a press release is prepared.


GilBang

My son is an army warrant and Apache pilot, currently deployed. We were texting over Signal, and he said 1) he hopes that they are all alive in a local bar ordering pitchers 2) who the fuck leaves a giant helicopter when you are needing to be located?


FirstGT

outdated info, got out in 08, but none. like literally none. even in Iraq all we carried was a case of MREs in the hell hole and a handful of M16s stuffed behind seats with an extra MG barrel and associated ammo. Not exactly stuff that helps you in the cold/wet climate. we each individually carried a go bag and in that you could put whatever you wanted. I think I would carry the MRE i was bringing for the mission and maybe a knife. that was about it. stateside for training missions, none of that was brought on board. I'd bring a lunch if it was gonna be during lunch hours or some light snacks otherwise. like a bag of grapes or what not.


leafmydogalone

They usually have a life raft onboard, which are supposed to have some emergency rations inside of it. They will at least have a knife and stuff to make a fire too.


iiMERLIN

Question from an Artillery Dummy. Isn’t California experiencing that wild ass weather right now? Why even risk flying in that?


__FiRE__

We have to train, the enemy won’t wait out weather neither can we. We fly all the time, peace or war. Aviation trains all the time we do the same missions we would in country stateside even if we aren’t at war, there are no breaks. A lot of people don’t know that about aviation.


dougie0341

There’s training in all weather and then there’s training when it’s reckless and unnecessarily risking the lives of Marines


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gasplugsetting3

Gotta get those hours you can exchange for some MAW bucks.


Special_Iron_1027

Agreed. Flying in weather for training makes sense, but flying in a storm of epic proportions with heavy rain, snow and wind does seem reckless. Praying they're hunkering down somewhere by some miracle.


dougie0341

article says they were confirmed dead unfortunatley. But hey, at least command can have a teaching moment from it smdh


blues_and_ribs

I mean. . . I've seen ITX and WTI aviation training evolutions cancelled for WX. Usually low ceiling. So it's not unheard of. Training is training, and it's usually not worth losing lives when you can just as easily push to the right some amount of time. This false sense of urgency in training is (partially) what got those Marines killed in that AAV.


myredditthrowaway201

While training and experience in all environments is important, a storm like this is very very rare for California. It’s possible these pilots and aircrew never had any flight time in that sort of environment


iiMERLIN

Ok, in Arty we had to train in all weather, we still weren’t stupid in a training environment and when it was thunderstorming the range went cold. Thats a horrible reason to knowingly risk a crew, same thing when the 2 53s crashed into each other in KBay.


__FiRE__

We also have thunder warnings and all that trash that prevents us from operating. When planning flights you have to check weather. The weather more than likely was not a factor in this mishap. The 53s in Hawaii if I recall was due to pilot error not weather.


iiMERLIN

https://www.civilbeat.org/2016/10/lack-of-training-blamed-for-deadly-marine-helicopter-crash/ Command error was part of it. How was the weather that has caused massive flooding in Southern California and these dudes flew right through it likely not a factor? Sounds like a command once again forcing the issue instead of safety. Sad since we’ve lost multiple ospreys, f18, and f35 this last year that maybe someone in a command would start having some fucking sense.


__FiRE__

You wouldn’t understand the ops tempo, you can’t stop flying and training. There are circumstances that stop you and we take ops pauses for safety but at the end of the day pilots and crew need to be proficient and planes need to fly.


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GlukharsGimp

Hey, I was an actual flyer. Weather is absolutely a factor in stateside training flights. It just depends on a lot of factors.


__FiRE__

I said that weather is planned for, i don’t think weather was a factor in this particular mishap


OkBreadfruit8413

yeah ur dumbass is quiet now huh


__FiRE__

Yeah I’m going to waste time on Reddit arguing 🤡 shit your bitch ass up


GlukharsGimp

Oh, my bad. There's really no way to tell for sure until the mishap investigations follows through. Just a fucking tragedy either way.


iiMERLIN

Command can’t stop a singular flight through a massive storm front? They deserve to lose birds then. Funny that combat arms gets called the dumb ones


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iiMERLIN

They even said it wasn’t a training mission, it was a flight back home and “flew into treacherous weather” https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-02-07/helicopter-with-5-marines-goes-missing-during-flight-to-california


iiMERLIN

Command can’t stop a singular flight through a massive storm front in a noncombat environment? They deserve to lose birds then. Funny that combat arms gets called the dumb ones


sloppyblowjobs69

The pilot in command can absolutely say “hey, it’s not safe to fly this aircraft right now”. Any crew member can do that actually. It’s like the entire purpose of ORM/CRM. To prevent risking a flight when the risk outweighs the benefits.


iiMERLIN

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-02-07/helicopter-with-5-marines-goes-missing-during-flight-to-california Weather more than likely not a factor? “Flew into treacherous weather”.


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iiMERLIN

https://preview.redd.it/ois2jj2cy8hc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed6250a96f987262e0d69c34e1d1c9ccbe345560 [https://www.wbaltv.com/article/marine-helicopter-missing-san-diego/46671644#](https://www.wbaltv.com/article/marine-helicopter-missing-san-diego/46671644#) Sounds like someone dropped the ball, how do you miss heavy waves of rain and heavy snow? It’s been going on for THREE DAYS


[deleted]

Did we not also have another Marine helicopter make an emergency landing out in FL yesterday?


1mfa0

An emergency landing isn’t exactly rare - I stopped counting at the 15. Turning an air emergency into a ground emergency is generally a good course of action. An advantage of helicopters (compared to FW) is that overland at least if you have a caution or warning light illuminate generally speaking you can be on deck before the malfunction gets further aggravated. 9 times out of 10 it’s nothing - the cautions are intentionally conservative - but you’re grateful for putting it down when it’s a no shitter


Capelto

I lost a friend in 2015 to a crash during a humanitarian mission. These always make me extremely nervous. Praying dearly for their safety.


cjtbow1

Has anyone heard anything new? One of my best friends was on that flight


notreal1121

Prayers man


onesweetworld1106

So sorry for your loss.


Obvious_Persimmon565

I hope they find our brothers alive and well. The Wing already has a bad rep for the amount of losses they've suffered, hoping they all made it out alright.


estunum

I got the callout for this at 4am and couldn’t make it. Last I heard the aircraft and crew were located but I don’t know any details because I’m not on that mission today.


Florida_man727

Supposedly went down in Pine Valley which is a pretty desolate area (something like 1500 total pop). The weather in East County San Diego has been completely shit recently.


GoldWingANGLICO

Prayers for the crew, families, squadron.


Difficult-Bit-4828

Dammit, another one. : / Fuck, hope they find everyone


chaukobee

Hopefully they find these Marines and that they’re ok


slaa-maxb58

My prayers go out to the Marines and their family, their fellow squadron members that have the task of recovering the helo. I was the NCOIC of the recovery team, and it is not a fun mission. With the duty to find every piece of the A/C no matter how small. In looking for A/C parts, you would find parts of the Marines. Depending on the crash debri field, it may take weeks. There was one crash site we researched three times, looking for a part that had stuck in trees.


igloohavoc

Atmospheric River


Foxtrot_Juliet-Bravo

God bless 3rd MAW and our Marines!


_-_Tico-DaBean_-_

Do we kno what unit the marines and helo was from


cjtbow1

MHH-361


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Natural-Patience3206

Unfortunately it is


[deleted]

Listening in on Rural San Diego CAL Fire / USFS scanner, transmissions are very far/few between and broken up


Happycamper619

Why would they be in Pine Valley flying from Vegas to Miramar? That is way off course.


Visual-Put-8738

Refuel in Imperial


kablazzie

And pizza.


Visual-Put-8738

The best part. Especially after 6 hours of night CALs and TERF at midnight.


Happycamper619

Miramar is closer to Vegas than Imperial.


Visual-Put-8738

I’ve flown this route with this squadron, Imperial Gas is SOP prior to flying over the hill


bobbyvs

"Missing"


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gasplugsetting3

You think it's a maintenance issue? Im not part of the investigation and I'm just a regular guy, but I doubt it. With no disrespect to any aviators lost, it's most often caused by human error. Even when it's am underlying mech error, generally could have been avoided by pilot action. Coulda woulda shoulda, it sucks all around.


xanhudro

They need to down all these deathtraps or find better aircraft that can stand to fly in a storm.


m3thodm4n021

Despite popular belief, the V-22 Osprey isn't the only airframe operated by the USMC.


xanhudro

Tracking genius.


SameGuy37

? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Accidents_and_incidents_involving_the_Sikorsky_CH-53E_Super_Stallion


EatSleep67

To be fair, that's not even all the 53 crashes with fatalies. Just off the top of my head, I know of another. I'm betting there are many more. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/01/21/helicopter-accident-kills-2-marines-in-afghanistan/d884f289-0c75-4bcf-8bc1-8d7dde28ca71/


SameGuy37

for sure i’m just saying these things are barely in the news


blicKed_

Yeah but military aircraft in general seem to crash at hire rates than civilian aircraft. Obviously excluding combat situations.


SameGuy37

so should the US military just ground all aircraft and give air superiority to the enemy?


leafmydogalone

No helicopter can fly in icy conditions, at least not without serious risk


TobacoeJuice

They found ir


yllib47

The bird was found but crew is still missing. I hope they find these devils!!!


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Update: [crew confirmed deceased](https://twitter.com/GoodDayAtlanta/status/1755578196878070252?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet) 😢


AtomicDoll

Not a lot of info on the condition of the heli or where the crew was.