Helicopter crash in San Diego's East County attributed to pilot mistake

In the 12-month span since a military helicopter crash claimed the lives of five Marines, an investigation has finally shed some light on the tragedy. On February 6, 2024, a CH-53E Super Stallion carrying five crew members was returning to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar when it met its fatal end.

The fallen Marines were:

Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief
Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona, another CH-53E helicopter crew chief
Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho, a CH-53E helicopter pilot
Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire, also a CH-53E helicopter pilot
Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Michigan, a CH-53E helicopter pilot

A hefty, 1,140-page report detailing the findings of the investigation was released to the public more than a year later. The redacted version revealed the crash was caused by "pilot error," resulting from the mishap pilot failing to maintain both safe obstacle clearance and Visual Flight Rules (VFR) visibility requirements, ultimately crashing into the terrain.

The investigation uncovered additional factors contributing to the tragedy, such as the presence of challenging weather conditions and cloud layers along the mishap route. These unfavorable weather conditions, the report suggested, posed difficulties that should have prompted the crew to reconsider the safety of their return journey, even with the initial stated weather forecast.

The crew, belonging to 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW), had completed a training flight before departing from Creech Air Force Base. Their planned stop at Imperial County Airport for refueling turned into an emergency landing after experiencing warning signs about one of their engines.

Controversy arose regarding whether the crew communicated the issue adequately. Later, the captain called the squadron's commanding officer to get approval for their return to Miramar. However, the investigation revealed that the squadron commander exceeded their authority by approving the flight, a decision that should have been escalated. The commander was eventually removed from command on November 18 for losing the confidence of their superiors [Source].

The overdue Super Stallion crew was last heard from at 2330, or 11:30 p.m., according to dispatch records. Search and rescue missions were initiated the next day to locate the helicopter and the Marines at their last known location in the Pine Valley area. Unfortunately, the search teams discovered the bodies of all five Marines. With them was Sgt. Alec Langen, who was temporarily shielded from the gruesome discovery by fellow Marines until investigators arrived [Source].

Steve Langen, Alec's father and a former Marine with experience on the CH-53E, shared his emotions with NBC 7, stating, "What happened? Were they overtasked? Were they tired?" [Source]. The Langen family was among the first to be briefed on the final investigative report, as is standard protocol. Though the family was appreciative of the information, they continued to express their frustration over the unknown factors that led to their son's demise.

"As a parent, you want to believe that they all made the decision together," Steve Langen added [Source]. The family hoped for unwavering transparency moving forward, to prevent other families from experiencing the same uncertainty.

One area of concern for the Langen family is the need for voice recorders in the cockpit of military aircraft. Though the current report pointed to limitations in the data available during the investigation, the Langens believe implementing such technology could help address any lingering questions in case of similar tragedies [Source].

A 3rd MAW spokesperson is quoted as saying that adding crash-survivable recorders to the CH-53E would be excessively costly given its limited remaining service life in the Marine Corps [Source].

While the full investigation report has not been made available to the public, consecutive sanctions and reviews are reportedly underway to police and training across 3rd MAW in response to the investigation. With ongoing efforts to make military aviation safer, the Marine Corps strives to honor the fallen heroes and prevent another similar accident.

General-news outlets reported controversy over the crew's communication regarding the engine issue before the crash, with the captain seeking approval for their return to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar from the squadron's commanding officer, who exceeded their authority.
Steve Langen, father of Sgt. Alec Langen, one of the fallen Marines, expressed concerns about potential pilot error and overtasking, and questioned whether they had made their decision together.
Unthinkable discrepancies surfaced in the pilot's error, such as the mishap pilot failing to maintain safe obstacle clearance and Visual Flight Rules (VFR) visibility requirements, ultimately leading to the crash into the terrain.
The family of Sgt. Alec Langen, including Steve Langen, a former Marine with CH-53E experience, hoped for increased transparency and the adoption of voice recorders in the cockpit of military aircraft to address any lingering questions in the event of similar tragedies.
Despite the limitations on data available during the investigation, the Marine Corps is reportedly undergoing consecutive sanctions and reviews, with ongoing efforts to police and train across 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, aiming to make military aviation safer, honor the fallen heroes, and prevent another similar accident.