2009 California mid-air collision

Accident

At 19:10 local time on 29 October 2009 (02:10 on 30 October UTC), a Lockheed HC-130H Hercules aircraft of the United States Coast Guard and a Bell AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter of the United States Marine Corps collided in mid-air. The location of the accident was 24 km east off San Clemente Island, California. The Hercules was carrying a crew of seven and the Cobra a crew of two people; there were no survivors. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a fireball in the sky. The Hercules was on a Search and Rescue mission to search for an overdue john boat while the Super Cobra was on a training flight. Two Sikorsky CH-53E helicopters along with , and were sent to search the area. , and later joined the search.

The search for survivors was cancelled on 1 November 2009 after searching 644 sqmi of ocean, including approximately 50 miles of floating debris. The effort was converted to a recovery operation. All nine individuals in the accident, including seven aboard the Coast Guard plane and two aboard the Marine helicopter were presumed dead.

Crew Members

The Coast Guard plane included Lt. Cmdr. Che Barnes of Capay, CA, and his co-pilot, Lt. Adam Bryant of Crewe, VA. The other crew members were Chief Petty Officer John Seidman of Carmichael, CA, a flight engineer; Petty Officer Second Class Carl P. Grigonis of Mayfield Heights, OH, a navigator; Petty Officer Second Class Monica L. Beacham of Decaturville, TN, a radio operator; Petty Officer Second Class Jason S. Moletzsky of Norristown, PA; and Petty Officer Third Class Danny R. Kreder II, of Elm Mott, TX.

The crew members aboard the Marine helicopter were Maj. Samuel Leigh of Belgrade, ME, and First Lt. Thomas Claiborne of Douglas, CO.

Aircraft

HC-130 Hercules

The HC-130H Hercules involved was serial number 1705. It was based at the Coast Guard Air Station in Sacramento, California. It had been in service previously at Air Station Barber's Point, Hawaii.

AH-1W Super Cobra

The Super Cobra was operated by Marine Aircraft Group 39, based at Camp Pendleton. Personnel aboard the aircraft belonged to Marine Aircraft Group 39 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, based at Miramar.

Investigation

A joint investigation by the United States Coast Guard and the U.S. Marine Corps was opened into the accident, headed by Rear Admiral Korn.

References

References

1. "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network.
2. Nasaw, Daniel. (30 October 2009). "Nine feared dead after US coastguard plane hits helicopter". The Guardian.
3. "Survivors unlikely in crash of McClellan-based Coast Guard plane, Pentagon says". The Sacramento Bee.
4. "Marine Helicopter And Coast Guard Plane Collide Off San Diego Coast". San Diego 6 News.
5. "Web Journal of Admiral Thad Allen". Admiral [[Thad Allen]], United States Coast Guard.
6. Cathcart, Rebecca. (2009-11-01). "Search Called Off for 9 Missing After Crash". The New York Times.
7. "Lockheed HC-130B/H/J Hercules Used by the USCG". Aeroflight.
8. (30 October 2009). "Nine missing after US air crash". BBC News Online.
9. (24 August 2010). "Report Faults Air Controllers for Deadly Midair Collision".