Cause of deadly military helicopter crash near Pine Valley revealed
The investigation determined the helicopter crash was due to pilot error, including failure to maintain safe obstacle clearance and Visual Flight Rules (VFR) visibility requirements, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said in a news release Wednesday.
Military officials ruled out material or mechanical failure to the aircraft.
Lawsuit filed against Aladdin Mediterranean Café amid ongoing salmonella investigation
The incident occurred on Feb. 6, 2024, when the military helicopter crashed into a mountain ridge near Pine Valley during a flight from Imperial County Airfield to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
Aboard the flight were Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, Sgt. Alec Langen, Capt. Benjamin Moulton, Capt. Jack Casey and Capt. Miguel Nava. All five Marines were killed in the crash.
In November, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing also relieved the HMH-361 Commanding Officer of command 'due to a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to continue to serve in that position.'
'While the Commanding Officer's actions were not directly causal or contributing factors to the mishap itself, the Commanding General determined that he exhibited poor judgment, and was expected to exercise greater care in the performance of his duties,' military officials said.
In response to the investigation, 3rd MAW has implemented multiple recommendations to its policy and training.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
South Christian delays start of school after teacher's death
GAINES TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Grand Rapids South Christian High School will not begin the school year Wednesday as planned following the death of an administrator, teacher and coach. Mark VanStee died Tuesday morning, the school said in a . 'It is difficult to put together any coherent thoughts or words at this moment. Please pray for Mark's wife and kids, his friends, his colleagues, his students, and our school community,' Head of School Aaron Meckes wrote. Sources tell News 8 that VanStee was the man killed in a crash in Grand Rapids Tuesday. In , police say, a man got out of a car, the car started rolling and he was then pinned between the vehicle and a tree. was an economics teacher, was dean of students and was the boys varsity golf coach, according to his biography on the school's website. His biography says he leaves behind a wife and three children. ''Every square inch belongs to him' is the statement that best permeates my faith walk each and every day,' he wrote in a faith statement. 'As a Christian, I find it impossible to not include a Reformed Biblical view each and every day into the most basic curriculum. Knowing Jesus Christ has already paid the price for our sins, I feel the freedom to go and do the work that He has called me to do.' The school says all activities scheduled for Tuesday are postponed and it will not hold classes Wednesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Pilot tells passengers he's trusting his 'gut' and refuses to fly plane
Pilots have the final say on the aircraft Yet another pilot is in the headlines after refusing to fly a plane. This time, the pilot made the call as the passengers were boarding. According to a post from Ambitious_Station_41 on Reddit, passengers were in the midst of the boarding process when the captain emerged from the jet bridge. The pilot ordered the gate agent to suspend boarding. The pilot was familiar with the plane The captain explained that he flew the same plane from Miami to Atlanta the day before. He'd noticed the problem with the elevator, which is essential to controlling the up and down movements of the aircraft. The pilot said he'd put in a maintenance request, but when he checked the log, it said, 'no issue found.' The pilot was uncomfortable accepting the aircraft until maintenance was dispatched to the scene. Maintenance showed up and said the plane was good to go. A department supervisor explained that they'd spent nine hours of 'investigation and repairs' after the issue was reported yesterday. He said he was trusting his gut The captain announced he was rejecting the aircraft. He informed the passengers that he'd been flying with Delta for 25 years and spent over 20,000 hours flying 757s. He told the travelers he 'knows when something is wrong.' The pilot further explained that this is the first time he'd rejected an airplane in over ten years. He said he trusts maintenance 100% but he goes with his gut when his gut says 'things are not what they should be.' A new plane arrived on the scene The announcement was made both on the plane and at the gate. Many passengers erupted into applause to show how much they appreciated his concern for their safety. A gate change was announced, and the flight was able to depart within about an hour of its scheduled departure time. At the new gate, the captain said it had been 22 years since he'd rejected a plane. The first officer said it had been seven years for him. The situation is increasingly common This isn't the first incident in which a pilot has refused an aircraft. Recently, a pilot refused to fly to Hawaii due to issues with the fuel system, despite the aircraft being cleared. In another instance, a pilot refused to fly because he was worried he might fail a drug test after a passenger smoked pot in the forward lavatory. Can a pilot refuse to fly a plane? Pilots have the final say when it comes to flight safety. This means they have the right to refuse to fly an aircraft they deem unsafe, even if the airline is telling them otherwise. Factors they can take into consideration include maintenance issues, weather, the fitness of the crew to operate the aircraft, and unruly passengers. The moment the captain announced he wasn't "feeling it," and refused the plane to Hawaii was captured on video by @johnnyjet. See it here. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Granite Bay fire station sees big improvements after reopening with ambulance service
After nearly three years without service, a Granite Bay fire station is already making a noticeable difference in emergency response times. The South Placer Fire District reopened Station 19 in March, staffing it with two personnel and an ambulance. That move was aimed at closing a major coverage gap between Eureka Road and King Road. "There was nothing in between," said South Placer Fire Chief Mark Duerr. Since reopening, response times in the area have improved by more than 24 percent. "That's a huge impact when you talk about the opportunity to save a life," Duerr said. Station 19 originally closed in August 2022 after voters failed to pass a funding measure known as Proposition 218. The district said budget concerns forced them to shut the station down. For neighbors, the return of even limited service has brought relief. The station is currently equipped only for medical emergencies, but district leaders say it's already providing critical help. "We have a great community there, really supportive of us, and we love providing service for them," Duerr said. "But at the end of the day, it's about what we can do with the dollars we have." The fire district says it continues to look at long-term funding solutions to keep Station 19 fully operational.
