Helicopter Accidents

US Navy accidents

Sikorsky S-61 H-3 Accidents

Year	Version	C/N
1960	hss-2	61-007	147143 : w/o 2may60
1962	hss-2	61-044	148972 : conv to SH-3H 10nov76; w/o 22may62 with HS-2
1962	hss-2	61-050	148978 : w/o 3may62 with HS-3
1962	hss-2	61-065	148991 : w/o 22oct62 with HS-9
1962	hss-2	61-068	148994 : w/o 15oct62 with HS-10
1962	hss-2	61-078	149004 : w/o 18oct62 with HS-9
1962	hss-2	61-089	149680 : w/o 22jun62 with HS-5
1963	hss-2	61-090	149681 : USN; SH-3A HS-9 w/o 12feb63
1963	hss-2	61-100	149689 : USN; SH-3A HS-6 w/o 26may63
1963	hss-2	61-111	149697 : USN; SH-3A HS-6 w/o 06feb63
1963	hss-2	61-126	149709 : USN; SH-3A HS-6 w/o 21jan63
1963	hss-2	61-131	149714 : USN; SH-3A HS-9 w/o 14nov63
1963	hss-2	61-132	149715 : USN; SH-3A HS-6 w/o 16aug63
1963	hss-2	61-181	149911 : USN; SH-3A HS-8 w/o 15aug63
1964	hss-2	61-075	149001 : USN; SH-3A HS-3 w/o 13may64
1964	hss-2	61-096	149686 : USN; SH-3A HS-10 w/o 30jan64
1964	hss-2	61-104	149691 : USN; SH-3A HS-11 w/o 26feb64
1964	hss-2	61-155	149734 : USN; HS-7 w/o 07may64
1964	hss-2	61-176	149907 : USN; SH-3A HS-8 w/o 18dec64
1964	hss-2	61-250	151542 : USN; SH-3A HS-4 w/o 08oct64
1965	hss-2	61-067	148993 : USN; SH-3A HS-2 w/o 02nov65
1965	hss-2	61-119	149703 : USN; SH-3A HS-4 w/o 25feb65
1966	hss-2	61-040	148968 : USN; SH-3A w/o Feb66 HS-2 USS Hornet (CVS-12)
1966	hss-2	61-047	148975 : USN; SH-3A HS-2 w/o 17nov66
1966	hss-2	61-082	149008 : USN; SH-3A HS-3 w/o 01jun66
1966	hss-2	61-192	149920 : USN; SH-3A HS-2 w/o 06aug66
1966	hss-2	61-199	149926 : USN; SH-3A HS-4 w/o 05feb66
1966	hss-2	61-212	150618 : USN; SH-3A HS-6 w/o 16oct66
1966	hss-2	61-214	150619 : USN; SH-3A HS-4 w/o 05feb66
1967	hss-2	61-054	148982 : USN; SH-3A HS-2 w/o 27aug67
1967	hss-2	61-057	148985 : USN; SH-3A; May 1967 pictured on USS Mahan (DLG-11) as Combat SAR type ( see HH-3A ) off the coast of Vietnam. At the time was assigned to HS-2/CVSG-57 on the USS Hornet (CVS-12); w/o 23may67, 4 fatalities
1967	hss-2	61-095	149685 : USN; SH-3A HS-2 w/o 20jun67
1967	hss-2	61-105	149692 : the helicopter had a sonar device attached to a 'boom' lowered in the water. The water tide or wave pulled the helicopter in. Crew of 4, the pilot and navigator were rescued; 2 radio operators lost. Helicopter actually went down ("NV64 went in the water") 11-May-1967. The two lost were declared dead 14-May-1967.
1967	hss-2	61-163	149895 : USN; SH-3A HS-2 w/o 23may67
1967	hss-2	61-178	149909 : USN; SH-3A HS-8 w/o 12jan67
1967	hss-2	61-197	149924 : USN; SH-3A HS-2 w/o 06jul67
1967	hss-2	61-201	149928 : I was a crewman on the USS Randolph (CVS-15) with HS-9 helo squadron. Off the Atlantic Ocean , coming back to Quonset Point, RI we lost one chopper and 3 men. Recovered Lt. Michael Burns but lost to sea Lt. Bostic and 3rd class David Dutko. Lt Burns died later of massive trauma.
1967	hss-2	61-217	151522 : USN; SH-3A HS-6 w/o 23oct67
1967	hss-2	61-233	151530 : USN; SH-3A HS-2 w/o 21may67
1967	hss-2	61-246	151540 : USN; SH-3A HS-8 w/o 09jan67
1967	hss-2	61-247	151538 : USN; c/n out of sequence, but only plausible place (?); 1962 redes SH-3A; w/o 19jul67 with HS-2
1967	sh-3a	61-312	152118 : USN; HS-6 w/o 30sep67
1967	sh-3d	61-341	152690 : USN; HS-3 w/o 21jan67
1968	hss-2	61-133	149716 : USN; SH-3A HS-9 w/o 12jul68
1968	hss-2	61-170	149901 : USN; SH-3A HS-8 w/o 26mar68
1968	sh-3a	61-307	152114 : USN; HS-6 w/o 03sep68
1968	sh-3d	61-371	152706 : USN; HS-3 w/o 15sep68
1969	hss-2	61-238	151534 : USN; SH-3A HS-2 w/o 08feb69
1969	sh-3a	61-304	152111 : Helicopter went down of the coast of Key West Florida during night operations. My Father Richard C. Stull was on that flight assigned to VX-1, I would like to find out more about this accident
1969	sh-3a	61-320	152126 : USN; HS-11 w/o 27jun69
1969	sh-3d	61-343	152691 : w/o 3oct69 with HS-3
1969	sh-3d	61-353	152698 : I believe that this is the SH-3 from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 3 that crashed on a night takeoff aboard the USS Yorktown (CVS-10). One survived out of a crew of four. It occurred early in a three month North Atlantic criuse. Other SH-3's were lost on that cruise as well.
1969	sh-3d	61-390	154104 : USN; HS-3 w/o 04dec69
1969	sh-3d	61-423	154123 : w/o , I was one of 4 crewman aboard this aircraft when it crashed at Pax Rv NAS at Weapon Systems Test, and the most seriously injured. The cause was tail rotor failure, in front of control tower.
1970	hss-2	61-081	149007 : Aircraft crashed in Jersey woods approx 20m from Home base on final leg from NAS SouthEast. Loss of Tail at hinge point at 1500 ft, 120 knots. 5 souls aboard, all walked away. We spent the night in the foods, were located the following morning
1970	hss-2	61-124	149707 : USN; SH-3A HC-1 w/o 08feb70
1970	hss-2	61-177	149908 : While on approach to USS Constellation (CV-64), Yankee Station, helo lost tail gear box. 11 persons aboard, 10 survived, Seadevil AZ3 Scott F. Moore Jr, M.I.A. - only HC-7 Seadevil lost in war. God Bless Scotty
1971	hss-2	61-008	147144 : w/o 21sep71 attached to Barking Sands Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) at Kekaha, Kauai, Hawaii. Contacted the water with its tail rotor crashed and sank in the Kauai channel
1971	hss-2	61-076	149002 : 29dec71 at John Hay AFB Baguio, Luzon, Philippines. Crashed on take-off, minor injuries to 17 persons aboard
1971	sh-3d	61-346	152692 : USN; HS-11 w/o 04aug71
1971	sh-3d	61-448	156502 : USN; HS-3 w/o 18jun71
1971	sh-3d	61-450	156504 : USN; HS-3 w/o 12feb71
1972	hss-2	61-003	147139 : 09jan69 deployed aboard USS Catskill (MCS-1) to HC-7 Det 113, Atsugi Japan, returned to USA HC-5 August 1970
1972	hss-2	61-114	149699 : USN; conv SH-3G; HC-1 Det6 w/o 08may72
1972	hss-2	61-150	149732 : One engine stalled on take off when full of fuel, landed in water, other engine failed when trying to yank it out of the water. One float bag busted when trying to attach crane from ship. Order was given to abandon recovery, ship ran over other floatation bag and a/c sank. Crew utilized 7-man life-raft.
1972	hss-2	61-235	151531 : Hit mountain. 5 onboard and all survived w/1 minor injury
1972	sh-3d	61-399	154109 : was /506, resides somewhere in the depths of the South China Sea
1972	sh-3d	61-440	156494 : Sikorsky S-61D c/n 61-440 ff?; accepted USN NPRO as SH-3D 156494 1969; xfer HS-7, unk; w/o when crashed close aboard USS Saratoga (CVA-60), 31Dec72, 4 crew recovered.
1973	hss-2	61-120	149704 : USN; conv to Point Mugu, CA NSH-3A type (satellite camera recovery aircraft); w/o 26nov73
1973	hss-2	61-158	149893 : 127 mi east of okinawa; crash on takeoff during workups on CVA-41 for SAR. 3 dead 1 survivor
1973	hss-2	61-293	151557 : w/o 06jun73, HC-2 SH-3G type (?); This Aircraft is at the bottom of the Western Atlantic; after a flight from the US Guam ended in a loss of control when the ASE malfunctioned and the helo impacted the water; After an hour and 20 minutes all four crew-members were rescued by another helo (HC-2).
1974	hss-2	61-012	148034 : I was with RVAH-13, Reconnaissance Attack Squadron Thirteen (Heavy) "Bats", flying RA-5C Vigilante ... and as I remember it, I was coming onto the flight deck to install a component into the jet, and I looked up and behind me as the HC was coming to land, and then noticed the SAM heading for the destroyer and I said 'oh shit' several times. The HC seemed to go full throttle and lifted and the SAM caught onto the heat signature from the HC and went directly into her and she exploded. I dove into the catwalk and saw the HC nearing the water below and it exploded again. I then picked up the tossed equipment and continued to the vigilante to install it. I was numb and in shock from the incident ... and am still dealing with it to this day ...
1974	hss-2	61-138	149721 : Off USS Saratoga, an S-2 Tracker saw lights in the water and radioed in. Pilots had gotten vertigo, in a sonar hover, black night overcast, and no horizon. Free streamed the sonar and reach 500’ before low air speed and weather conditions caused lose of control. Aircraft crashed and sank, all 4 crew exited under water.
1974	hss-2	61-261	: Carson; as hull/spares; ex 151548
1975	sh-3d	61-377	152711 : USN; HS-4 helo 66 Apollo 8,10,11,12 and 13 recoveries; w/o 04jun75 crash at sea off NAS Imperial Beach, 1 fatality. Was still assigned to HS-4;; portrayed by 148999 in 1994 movie Apollo 13
1975	sh-3d	61-400	154110 : USN; HS-8 w/o 03nov75
1976	hss-2	61-182	149912 : conv SH-3G; HC-1 w/o 14oct76
1976	sh-3a	61-311	152117 : helo ended up on the seafloor in 3920 ft ( 1200 m ) of water off California coast
1977	hss-2	61-056	148984 : USN; conv SH-3H; HS-9 w/o 17aug77
1978	hss-2	61-022	148044 : Crashed and burned out of NAS Fallon in remote area used for war games near Sand Mountain in the Nevada desert during routine maneuvers. was based at NAS North Island. 5 fatalities; There is a marker in place where it says the crash was but we found wreakage to the NE that appears to be parts of the SH-3
1978	hss-2	61-106	149693 : USN; conv SH-3H; w/o 07jan78 /AJ-734 HS-9 USS Nimitz (CVN-68) Mediterranean Sea
1978	hss-2	61-252	151544 : piloted by navy LT Mr. Hall lost high speed shaft from a motor. Crash landed on small island in Marshall atoll on fire. All crew survived
1978	sh-3d	61-350	152695 : USN; HS-11 w/o 18mar78
1978	sh-3d	61-379	152713 : w/o 14may78 with HS-2
1978	sh-3d	61-420	154120 : USN; HS-75 w/o 26oct78
1978	sh-3d	61-443	156497 : w/o 13may78 with HS-11
1979	sh-3a	61-321	152127 : Scrapped, damage beyond repair due to fatal crash outside Tucson, Arizona
1979	sh-3d	61-401	154111 : USN; HS-8 w/o 21feb79
1980	hss-2	61-046	148974 : USN; conv SH-3G; HS-1 w/o 02nov80
1980	hss-2	61-115	149700 : St Croix, USVI;This H-3 was used for logistics support for the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility and based at Roosevelt Roads NAS, Puerto Rico. Day of crash it was transporting RCA contractors and mail between Roosevelt Roads and the Saint Croix Underwater Test Range. It went down a couple miles west of Frederiksted, St, Croix in over 3,000 feet of water. Crash site was on a portion of the Under Water Test Range. The next year portions of the aircraft were recovered by the DSRV Alvin.
1980	hss-2	61-229	151526 : w/o 23jul80
1980	sh-3a	61-296	152106 : USN; conv SH-3H; HS-5 w/o 07jul80
1981	hss-2	61-039	148967 : I was in it when it was ditched and lost at sea. Never recovered
1981	hss-2	61-051	148979 : crashed on a small island in the pacific during a radiological survey of bikini atoll. Hi speed shaft bolts failed causing fire in flight. Crew survived !!! Ask Lt. Hall....
1981	hss-2	61-066	148992 : USN; conv SH-3H; HS-8 w/o 16mar81
1981	hss-2	61-110	149696 : USN; conv SH-3G; HS-3 w/o 13sep81
1981	hss-2	61-127	149710 : my recall of the events
1981	hss-2	61-154	149736 : USN; conv SH-3H; HS-12 w/o 19sep81 tail rotor failure
1982	hss-2	61-116	149701 : USN; conv SH-3H; HS-7 w/o 28jan82
1982	hss-2	61-193	149921 : USN; conv SH-3H; HS-1 w/o 01oct82
1982	hss-2	61-200	149927 : USN; conv SH-3H; HS-1 w/o 25jun82
1982	hss-2	61-227	151524 : USN; conv SH-3H; /AC-611 HS-7 w/o 26mar82 crashed Indian Ocean
1982	sh-3a	61-319	152125 : USN; conv SH-3H; HS-2 w/o 16jun82
1983	hss-2	61-148	149730 : Aircraft sank in 7,000 ft (2133 m) of water in The Tongue of the Ocean, while conducting night flight operations. All four crew members were rescued
1984	ch-3b	61-145	212574 : w/o 3aug84 with HS-6.
1984	sh-3a	61-327	152132 : asg HS-15 on USS Independence when it crashed. 5 crew onboard, 1 fatality
1985	hss-2	61-024	148046 : 23jan85 search
1985	hss-2	61-048	148976 : USN; conv SH-3H; HS-2 w/o 19oct85
1985	hss-2	61-144	149726 : USN; conv SH-3G ?; conv SH-3H; 18nov85 HS-12 USS Midway ditched at sea South China Sea
1985	sh-3a	61-318	152124 : AK614. I was the first crewman (AW2 Brett Norton) and landed on the Coral Sea to do a refuel and hot crew swap. I had a terrible headache and could not figure out why. The crewmen that relieved us were Maes and Spigner. I told them that something was wrong with the helicopter. I exited the flight deck and heard “Man Overboard, aircraft in the water” over the 1MC. I looked over the side of the ship and saw 614 sinking. They assumed it was tail rotor failure. Maes was trapped in the tail, saw the flares ignite and swam towards them to escape. Spigner had the console come down on his legs and was able to pull it off and get out of the crew window. One pilot somehow went out through the overhead canopy. All crew survived and were rescued by another HS-17 Helo.
1986	hss-2	61-169	149900 : USN; conv SH-3H; HS-7 w/o 21may86 in Caribbean or Mediterranean Seas
1986	hss-2	61-251	151543 : USN; conv SH-3H; /NE-615 HS-14 w/o 30may86
1986	sh-3a	61-335	152136 : The arcraft was lost due to tail rotor failure which was probably due to cracks in tail rotor drive shaft mounts. Cracks were discovered in the mounts of other aircraft following this incident. The passenger door departed the aircraft due to the violent vibrations created by an unsupported/unbalanced driveshaft. I was the pilot Ron Burton
1987	hss-2	61-015	148037 : w/o , asg HC-2, on routine flight from Bahrain to the command ship USS La Salle docked in Manama. Was too low and crashed into its starboard side scorching it
1987	hss-2	61-061	148987 : USN; conv SH-3G; VC-8 w/o 27apr87
1987	hss-2	61-069	148995 : w/o 12jan87 HS-11 /AB-612
1987	hss-2	61-206	149931 : USN; conv SH-3H; w/o 09nov87 /NF-615 HS-12 USS Midway on Indian Ocean, 1 fatality
1988	sh-3d	61-437	156491 : All 4 onboard perished.
1989	hss-2	61-180	149910 : USN; conv SH-3H; HS-6 w/o 23feb89
1991	sh-3d	61-388	154102 : Went down in North Atlantic during North Star exercise along with crew of 4. I was AZ3 Rock
1994	hss-2	61-173	149904 : aircraft suffered a dual engine failure and crashed into the Persian Gulf. All crew were rescued
1999	hss-2	61-188	149918 : conv SH-3H; conv UH-3H; w/o 16sep99 VC-8 /GF-12, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico
2002	hss-2	61-101	149684 : USN; conv SH-3H; 1990 pictured as /AA-611 HS-3 USS Independence (CV-62) crewmen working on the tail rotor; conv UH-3H unk; w/o 05jul02 as /HU-744 HC-2 on USS Cushing (DD-985) Persian Gulf
2004	hss-2	61-139	149722 : USN; conv SH-3H; conv UH-3H; w/o 31aug04 HC-2 on USS Preble (DDG-88) in northern Arabian Gulf; 30sep04 Stricken from US Navy list
2004	hss-2	61-146	149728 : ?-2002 at NAS Patuxent River. First as SH-3H test bed, later as SAR asset; 2002 to IMP in Halifax for rework; 2004 main rotor cut tail off in a shipboard landing mishap