U.S. Seahawk helicopter crashed in Indonesia

[Wilco 944]

Quote[/b] ]Sunday, January 9, 2005 Posted: 11:29 PM EST (0429 GMT)

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (CNN) -- A U.S. Navy helicopter participating in tsunami relief efforts crashed on approach to the airfield at Banda Aceh early Monday, with all 10 aboard suffering minor injuries, a Navy spokesman said.

The helicopter was en route to Banda Aceh from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln at about 7:15 a.m. (7:15 p.m. ET Sunday) when it crashed within 100 meters (yards) of the airfield, said Capt. Larry Burt, the commander of the carrier's air wing.

Australian troops camped near the crash site were the first to respond, rushing across the rice paddy with stretchers to tend to the injured.

The 10 passengers and crew members on board have been returned to the ship for treatment. Cmdr. Mark McDonald, a spokesman for the U.S. relief effort, said all are believed to have suffered "very minor injuries."

Quote[/b] ]Rescuers try to carry out injured crew members from a crashed helicopter in Banda Aceh

Quote[/b] ]An American military personnel talks on a radio near a U.S. Navy helicopter that crashed in a rice paddy near the tsunami-hit town of Banda Aceh on the Indonesian island of Sumatra January 10, 2005. A Reuters reporter on the scene said the grey body of the Seahawk helicopter was on its side intact in the midst of the rice paddy, but the rotors were smashed and dented, with some missing. The tail had nearly snapped off.

Quote[/b] ]The crew members were all able to leave the aircraft and were airlifted to a U.S. Navy ship off the coast. All relief operations involving the Seahawks are temporarily halted.

[shadow 6]

I wonder what made it go down

[ozanzac 0]

I wonder what made it go down  

Mechanical failure would be my bet.

[skynet 0]

Although there have been reports of gun fire and rebel actions/movements within indonesia.

Hopefully it was mechanical failure.

[Supah 0]

Well the US navy is really carrying the brunt of the airlift helicopter wise. Fly enough sorties and the percentages will catch up with you, accidents will happen. Good that noone died

[-33ker 0]

Yeah personnel and equipment come to their limits in situations like this.

[Gollum1 0]

Good thing no one suffered any serious injuries.

[lee_h._oswald 0]

Yeah, good to hear that no one has died in that crash.

The United States are doing a great job with helping all the ppl there, using their military equipment. (carrier, chopper... etc.)

MfG Lee

[Necromancer- 0]

Yeah, good to hear that no one has died in that crash.

The United States are doing a great job with helping all the ppl there, using their military equipment. (carrier, chopper... etc.)

MfG Lee

Finally some good things that the USA does with it's military..

[blackdog~ 0]

Yeah, good to hear that no one has died in that crash.

The United States are doing a great job with helping all the ppl there, using their military equipment. (carrier, chopper... etc.)

MfG Lee

Finally some good things that the USA does with it's military..

No need to start that kind of stuff.

I wonder if the helicopter is repairable?

[Billabong81 0]

From the pics, I have gathered the rotor blades are gone. They would need to replace those, though they replace the blades on choppers once every 6 months anyway, so that can be fixed. It landed in the water, so on its side there is most likely paint peeling and rust forming depending on how long it has been there. May it is repairable, but there are also all the little things like the engine and stuff that probably need to be replaced as well. most likely the military will just use the still-working parts for a new helicopter .