Apache down in Galveston Bay-2 dead

An AH-64 has crashed into Galveston Bay, after apparently breaking apart shortly after takeoff. Witnesses said it was flying unusually low, and didn't sound right, shortly before it broke up. It appears that at least one rotor detached just before it went into the water. Divers have been searching for the crew, and the wheels of the aircraft were seen poking up out of the water.

www.dallasnews.com...
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This is infuriating.

Where the F is the TI on this? Who the hell lets a bird fly in that condition.

Where are their CEs during preflight? I'm pretty sure a rotorhead inspection is required.

Rotors don't just fly off. Never have I heard of a blade retaining pin breaking.

I'm a hawk guy, but I have enough time on an AH to know already that this was a maintenance problem from the get go.

To the pilots of this aircraft...Complacency much? Folks this is what happens when you aren't paying attention and just going through the checklist like a robot. How would you not figure any of this out on startup? It takes 45 minutes from APU start to run up on an AH. Apparently no one checked # during that time.

The aircraft took off from Ellington Field, but no one knows who it belongs to. Both Austin and Killeen have confirmed all their aircraft are accounted for.

a reply to: Zaphod58

They were flying out of JRB apparently.

They confirmed both crew were killed in the crash.

Rotor or transmission drive failure?If it was sounding rough before breakup there would have been a #load of pretty blinking lights in the cockpit going off.

Crap.
It looks like a faulty Strap Pack Assembly. I thought all of these were replaced back in the late 90’s. The new ones were supposed to eliminate the need for 3 ASAM inspections.
May GOD rest the souls of these two soldiers and comfort their families.
So sad.

originally posted by: Blackfinger
Rotor or transmission drive failure?If it was sounding rough before breakup there would have been a #load of pretty blinking lights in the cockpit going off.

Chip lights would have gone off.

We'll have to wait for the facts of the investigation to come in.

originally posted by: projectvxn

originally posted by: Blackfinger
Rotor or transmission drive failure?If it was sounding rough before breakup there would have been a #load of pretty blinking lights in the cockpit going off.

Chip lights would have gone off.

We'll have to wait for the facts of the investigation


Many prayers for the crew and their families.

In my time, the health of your helicopter was determined by how much it vibrated. If the crew had experienced heavy vibration wouldn't they have landed immediately? This may indicate that the accident happened very quickly before they could react.

The aircraft belonged to the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade’s the 1st of the 149th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion.

a reply to: projectvxn
No this is what happens when the core of the military changes. When politically correct is better than correct. The army has the worst officers and the worst training for maintenance crews.