Detailed history and photos of helicopter Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King Serial 61-318 Register 152124 used by US Navy USN Track service timeline and current status.
USS AmericaHS-11 /AB-610, noted aboard USS America at Spithead, between 25 and 28 Sep 1982
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. HS-17
