Sikorsky CH-53D Sea Stallion

C/N 65-279

Written off 1973





Helicopter Sikorsky CH-53D Sea Stallion Serial 65-279 Register 157153 used by US Marine Corps USMC. Aircraft history and location





Aircraft History





157153

usa US Marine Corps

1972USMC 1972 HMT-204 HMT-204
1973-03-14 A KNCAH&MS-26 w/o 14mar73 on take off at MCAS New River. Pilot and electrician died. Co-pilot was badly burned. Crew chief was thrown clear. Was on its way to refurb at Corpus Christi and a rotor blade failed
They all died with the exception of one of the Crew Chiefs that was thrown clear. Both pilots, Sgt Jim Gwynn and a bunch of Cat-As were onboard as well
the pilots would have lived if crash crew had not run out of foam in the truck they forgot to refill after practice.
Cause of mishap was failure of main rotor blade hinge pin due to crack.
w/o 14mar73 :

“ As I recall this incident occured on the morning of 14mar73. The CH-53 helicopter just left the fuel pits and was taxing to the take off area when the star assembly holding the main rotor blades failed sending the helicopter into ground resinance thus triggering the mishap. The pilot Major Richard McCormick, copilot Major Frank Quadrini, electriian Sgt Harold Way, and Sgt James Benny Gwen Jr all were killed. Sgt Frank Scott Jr who was standing in the doorway and ended up bing thrown away from the craft when it caught fire. ”

I witnessed this accident. I was on the far end of our flight line working on a CH-46, approximately 200 to 300 yrds to the east of a CH-53 taxiing from the H
witness remembers :

“ My name is Cpl Mark Gilliam I was the last one to work on this ch53. I had fixed a main transmission drain pan line shorty after I taxed the ch53 out it made it 300 ft It then bounced from side to side on the third bounce it hit the tarmac and exploded . i rushed to the crash sgt gwen was burnt up the two pilots were unconscious i tried to open emergecy hatchs they were stuck , crash crew ran out of foam the fire came back up and we jumped away to keep from being burned on 2nd explosion .That explosion killed the pilots there were 4 completely full fuel tanks on board

Pat Boots at New River Air Station :

“ I was a Sgt. in ground support with HMT-204 the day this event happened. I had asked to go on this flight on two occasions and was told no. Sgt. Way, who did go was in our avionics department and had worked the evening before this fatal flight at our squadron. Morning of March 14th, 1973 was a beautiful morning. I had gone to our squadron admin department to take a first mech test. When I returned down to the flight line I noticed way off in the distance a plume of smoke rising and assumed a minor fire had occurred. Little while later in our quonset hut flight line heard the terrible news. Major McCormick was our maintenance officer and the pilot of this flight. He died there that day. Sgt. Way, from our squadron was also killed. Sgt. Scott said he had been in the rear of the helicopter and when the plane reared up in convulsion he was thrown out the back; hit his head on the concrete and temporarily knocked unconscious. Later that day he appeared to have no injuries and looked like he had seen a ghost--never forget the look on his face. Major Quadrini was from another squadron as well as Gwen, both died and knew neither. Later that day they grounded the CH-53s. Report we heard was the Marine Corps knew there was a problem with the blades cracking but didn't was to spend the money to x-ray them. Later that day 2 generals, one was a major general landed in a Huey to observe the wreck site. God bless their souls. 51 years ago this week. One other thing: the smell for this wreck lasted for months in the air around the base. - New River Air Station ”





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