Cleveland National Forest Marine helicopter crash kills two pilots

2009-05-08 21:26:00 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Insurance Litigation, Top Stories)

Marine Marine Corp helicopter crashes in California

A Marine AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter carrying live munitions crashes in East County.

San Diego, CA(JusticeNewsFlash.com)–Two Marine AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter pilots died on late Tuesday when the chopper they were flying crashed in Cleveland National Forest. As reported by the Olympian, the Cobra, carrying live ordnance when it crashed, exploded into flames, killed both pilots, and started a brush fire. U.S. Forest Service officials state the helicopter wreckage spread over about 2 acres.

The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing pilots, based at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, crashed the bird around 11:45 p.m. On Tuesday. According to U.S. Military officials, the squadron was training with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit out of Camp Pendleton. The squadron is scheduled to deploy in the fall to the Western Pacific.

The Marine helicopter took off about 30 to 40 minutes before the crash, from an airfield in El Centro. East County firefighters responded to the firey crash site, which is about two miles north of Interstate 8 near Kitchen Creek Road, and were ordered to stay back because of unexploded munitions. Military officials finally cleared an East County helicopter to drop water after 8 a.m. The fatal military helicopter crash is under investigation while military and civil authorities work to secure the unexploded weapons and investigate the crash scene.

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