Marines: Helicopter that crashed near El Centro began trip from 29 Palms

April 04--Military investigators continue to probe the lethal Tuesday crash of a Marine helicopter in Imperial County but released few details about the mishap.

Four Marines under the command of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing died when their CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crashed around 2:35 p.m. Tuesday about 15 miles west of El Centro, near the desert community of Plaster City and the international border with Mexico.

Marine spokeswoman Capt. Morgan Frazer said that the helicopter had departed the Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County to practice landings in unimproved zones.

"The names of the deceased will be withheld until 24 hours after next-of-kin notification," Frazer said by email.

Frazer declined to name the squadron conducting the training or pinpoint where it is based, saying that these details could prematurely identify the dead crew members.

Although based in Miramar, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing oversees units there and at Camp Pendleton, Twentynine Palms and Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the four U.S. Marines from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing who lost their lives in yesterday's Southern California helicopter crash. We pray for their families, and our great ... USMC," said President Donald Trump in a Wednesday morning Twitter message.

Located about six miles northwest of town, Naval Air Facility El Centro often hosts Marine crews practicing landings and takeoffs. It's also the winter home of the Navy's aerial acrobatic team, the Blue Angels.

On July 10, a KC-130T airplane crewed by members of the Newburgh, New York-based Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 452 crashed in rural Mississippi en route to El Centro.

All 16 troops on the aircraft died. They included six Marines and a Navy corpsman from Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command's elite 2nd Marine Raider Battalion. Also killed was Marine co-pilot Capt. Sean Endecott "Puffin" Elliot. Based in Cherry Point, N.C., Elliot grew up in San Diego County.

Tuesday's helicopter crash occurred on the same day that a Marine AV-8B II jet wrecked in the East African nation of Djibouti. The pilot was listed in stable condition after being treated for injuries incurred after ejecting from the plane.

Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, offered his prayers Wednesday to both the injured Harrier pilot and the relatives of the deceased helicopter crew.

"My office will be closely following the Marine Corps investigation as they look into the details and causes of this tragic crash," Peters said by email. "Their report will give Congress a better idea of what we can do to prevent these crashes -- whether we need to address readiness, training, oversight or other factors -- and how we can better equip our troops to ensure this won't happen again. I stand ready to do whatever I can to help should the report identify that congressional action is needed."

Since late 2016 the military has recorded three serious accidents involving CH-53E helicopters.

The most recent occurred on Oct. 10 near Futenma Marine Corps Air Station in Japan.

An engine caught fire in flight, forcing the crew from the "Heavy Haulers" of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462 to make an emergency landing, according to the Naval Safety Center. There were no injuries.

On Oct. 19, 2016, a Super Stallion from the "Warhorse" of Miramar-based Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 struck a shipping container at MCAS Yuma in Arizona during reduced visibility landing training.

The collision destroyed the aircraft but no one died.

On April 4, 2017 at the same base, a Super Stallion from the Miramar-based "Flying Tigers" of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 did a "CFIT" -- controlled flight into terrain -- while performing defensive maneuvers.

There were no fatalities.

cprine@sduniontribune.com

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