The Army has published a report of the investigation into a midair helicopter collision in the mountainous region 60 miles to the south from Fort Wainwright that killed three soldiers in April.
The report issued from the Army Combat Readiness Center is 385 pages, however most of it, including information about the crash is heavily censored. The sections that are not blacked out include details that the Army did not disclose previously like the fact that the crash took place when two helicopters hit each other and a dozen others were returning towards Fort Wainwright after a two-week training exercise.
“All 14 aircraft were AH 64Delta Apache helicopters” declares Jimmie Cummings an official spokesperson for Alabama’s Combat Readiness Center.
Cummings was unable to discuss Thursday’s redactions in the report but he did clarify some details, such as the exact location of the crash occurred.
“The incident occurred 60 miles to the south from Ladd Army Airfield,” the man said.
It’s approximately 50 miles from the Tanana River, near the intersection with Sheep Creek and the Wood River and Sheep Creek.
The report states that 14 Apaches left their home in the Donnelly Training Area south of Fort Greely just after noon on April 27th. They then flew west across to the Alaska Range for flight to Nenana. Then, the group hoped flying across Fairbanks International Airport en route to Ladd Field on Fort Wainwright.
Mountain pass mid-air collision
The report states that approximately 45 minutes after the start of flight the formation veered right and headed towards the north, forming an alpine pass. Army officials have stated that the area was not affected by weather advisory or visibility issues in the region.
The investigation states that the two Apaches which collided were traveling at 82 mph, approximately 250 feet above the ground. In the 30 second period following they made the turn an Apache pilot in one Apaches slows down and loses view of another. They trying to speed up and struck primary rotor blades on the other plane. The helicopters fell into the sides of the mountain.
A member of the crew on one helicopter sent a mayday message. The report states “there there were not any mayday broadcasts” by the third Apache.
These three men who were killed were part of the 1st Attack Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment the deceased included 39-year-old Chief Warrant officer 3 Christopher Eramo, of New York 28-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kyle McKenna, of Colorado and a 32-year-old Warrant Officer 1 Stewart Wayment, of Utah.
A fourth soldier who was not identified was injured and taken to the hospital.
The report’s sections on the lessons learned and the recommendations made based on them have been removed.
The Army released the report this week in response to the Freedom of Information Act request made by KUAC.
