Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopter 85-24337.

85-24337

Property of

C Company, 159th Aviation Regiment

"Flippers"

Fort Bragg, North Carolina

1987 - 1999

15 May 2009: U.S. Army soldiers rehearse dismounting CH-47 Chinook helicopter 85-24337 before a recent air assault operation on Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. The U.S. soldiers, assigned to the 509th Infantry Division's 3rd Battalion, participated in a joint effort with Afghan soldiers and border police. Click-N- Go Here to view a larger image.

   85-24337, Boeing D model kit number M3107, was a CH-47D helicopter. The U.S. Army acceptance date was 27 March 1986. As of 8 February 1999, 85-24337 had accumulated 1,699.6 D model hours and 4,728.6 total aircraft hours.

   85-24337 was a conversion from the original C model Chinook 67-18509.

   On 22 March 1985, 85-24337 was inducted into the D model program, converted, and initially assigned 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 Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) - "Flippers".

   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 and eas directly subordinate to the 18th aviation Brigade.

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

   85-24337 remained assigned to C Company until 8 February 1999, when the aircraft suffered a hard landing on short final at the airport in La Mesa, Honduras, on the first leg of the return trip back to Fort Bragg.

   85-24337 had been deployed for 120 days in support of relief efforts after Hurricane Mitch devastated much of Central America.

   85-24337 experienced engine power loss and suspected flight boost system and flight controls temporary lockup.

   The crew autorotated the aircraft and experienced a hard landing that crushed the aft landing gear and warped the aft fuselage. There were no injuries to personnel.

   The aircraft was evacuated to San Angelo, Texas for storage awaiting determination.

   At some point the aircraft was assigned to Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD), Corpus Christi, Texas, for repair.

   At some point and at least thru November 2006, after complete repairs, 85-24337 was assigned to Detachment 1, Company B, 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB), 126th Aviation, Army National Guard (ARNG), located in Rochester New York.

   At some point and as of 6 December 2009, 85-24337 was assigned to Company B - "Gold Diggers", 1st General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB), 126th Aviation, California Army National Guard (CAARNG), while deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan.

   At some point and as of 9 September 2011, 85-24337 was assigned to Army Aviation Support Facility #3 - "River City Hookers", Illinois Army National Guard (ILARNG), located in Peoria, Illinois.

   As of 12 September 2011, this aircraft was 43.4 years old.

   As of 12 September 2011, the last known location of 85-24337 was in Peoria, Illinois.

   Aircraft status: Flyable.

La Mesa, Honduras, Crash Site

The following photographs show 85-24337 at the crash site just short of the runway at La Mesa, Honduras.

Boeing CH-47D Chinook 85-24337 - That bump on the ramp was real.

Depot Repair at CCAD

The following photographs show 85-24337 at Corpus Christi Army Depot while undergoing extensive repair in December 2001.

The cockpit area of 85-24337 while undergoing repair at CCAD (December 2001).

The fuselage area of 85-24337 while undergoing repair at CCAD (December 2001).

The left side of the ramp area of 85-24337 while undergoing repair at CCAD (December 2001).

The right side of the ramp area of 85-24337 while undergoing repair at CCAD (December 2001).

The right side of the fuselage and ramp area of 85-24337 while undergoing repair at CCAD (December 2001).

The above photograph shows two sections of 85-24337 - the fuselage on the left and the ramp area in the background.

Deployment with the California Army National Guard

CH-47D Chinook helicopter 85-24337 while assigned to the California Army National Guard and deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan, 2008 - 2009. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger version of this image.