Those H-53's were from MCAS New River. Good Luck on trying to get a copy of the accident report. I don't think FOIA will work in the case of an aircraft accident report. As I recall those aircraft were trying to go somewhere under VFR rules when it was actually IFR.

Accident Info

The National Transportation Safety Board makes available all accident reports within the CONUS once they have been completed. They also have a monthly newsletter called the "NTBS Reporter" that you can get on a subscription basis. I used to get the newsletter when I was still flying and always found them interesting - as I recall they reported on civilian, commercial and military accidents.

I'll see if I can dig up an old copy with the contact info -

Semper Fi

Tom

I've always been under the impression that military aircraft accident reports were privleged info and not releasable. I'd be surprised if someone could get a copy of this one under FOIA. How detailed are the accident reports that the National Safety Transportation Board reports on? How involved are they in military accidents?

Dennis

Accident Reports

NTSB publications review investigations of selected accidents conducted by the NTSB. The accident reports present (in narrative form), the Board’s factual findings and analysis leading to a probable cause. The FAA also offers data on civilian, commercial and military accidents within the CONUS.

Copy and paste the link below into your browser and input any known data from the drop-down selections. Military aircraft will appear as: US Navy, US Air Force, ect...

https://www.nasdac.faa.gov/pls/nasdac/NASDAC.wwa_app_module.show?p_sessionid=192163

Let me know if this works for you -

Tom

Tom,
I get the following when I use your link:

Error: An unexpected error occurred: ORA-01403: no data found (WWV-16016)

I'm really curious about an accident I had in 1967. Tail fell off an H-53 at site in the RALs. Initial determination was Material Failure. About a year later I found out that it was determined to be Pilot Error. I never knew how that determination was made. I think they took some foot prints, but I question just where those foot prints were taken.

At any rate am anxious to get to the site you mentions.
Dennis

The two CH-53D's involved were BuNo's 156956 and 157167, both of HMH-461 from New River.

You could try the Naval Safety Center at
http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/foia/default.htm

Accident

This is my first time here so I hope this comes out right.........I remember the incident. If memory serves me right they were on a formation XC and continued VFR into IFR conditions by trying nap of the earth. Flew into the side of the mountain. -2 never knew what hit them 🙁