Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopter 85-24332 (Crashed).

85-24332

   85-24332, Boeing D model kit number M3102, was a CH-47D helicopter. The U.S. Army acceptance date was 26 February 1986. As of 8 December 1988, 85-24357 had accumulated 798.7 D model hours and 4,040.0 total aircraft hours.

   85-24332 was a conversion from the original A model Chinook 66-00123.

   On 15 February 1985, 85-24332 was inducted into the D model program, converted, and initially scheduled for assignment to the unit that would eventually become C Company - "Flippers", 159th Aviation Regiment, 18th Aviation Brigade, located at Simmons Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

   At some point, and as of 31 December 2003, the 18th Aviation Brigade was located at Simmons Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, and was subordinate to the 18th Airborne Corps.

   The 18th Airborne Corps was subordinate to Forces Command (FORSCOM), which was a major command (MACOM) of 2nd Army.

   C Company was the former 196th ASHC.

   The 196th ASHC was redesignated A Company, 2nd Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment in approximately 1988.

   In September 1996, 2nd Battalion was deactivated and the unit was redesignated A Company, 159th Aviation Regiment.

   In approximately November 1996, the unit was redesignated as C Company, 159th Aviation Regiment.

   On 8 December 1988, while assigned to A Company and operating in the country of Honduras, 85-24332 was lost due to an accident.

   While in cruise flight on the second leg of a service mission, the aircraft was reported by witnesses to have been on fire in the area of the aft pylon. The fire was initially seen in the area of the left side of the aft pylon and spread rapidly engulfing the entire pylon. The aircraft was observed to roll left, then right, followed by a tucking of the nose with a roll to the left just prior to impact.

   The aircraft came to rest on a 21 degree down-slope, oriented in a direction opposite to the direction of fight.

   Local citizens who observed the crash attempted to extinguish the post-crash fire, however, the intensity of the fire prevented a successful effort. The aircraft was approximately 80 percent destroyed by the in-flight and post-crash fires.

   All five crewmembers were killed on impact due to G loads in excess of human tolerance.

   The aircraft continued to burn for several hours before the crewmembers could be removed and the remains evacuated for autopsy.

   The Number One Input Pinion Gear to the Combining Transmission failed, which resulted in hot lubrication oil leaking and igniting. The fired burned through the flight controls on the left side of the transmission as it spread to the Aft Pylon. The crew lost control of the aircraft as it crashed.

   As of 8 December 1988, this aircraft was 22.1 years old.

   As of 8 December 1988, the last known location of 85-24332 was in Honduras.

   Aircraft status: Crashed.