Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopter 86-01676.

86-01676

Property of

205th Aviation Company

(Assault Support Helicopter Company)

Mainz-Finthen, Germany

1987 - 1990

205th ASHC - "Geronimos", unit patch from the days of Europe.

205th ASHC - "Geronimos" D model fielding poster, 1988.

B Company, 6th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment patch used by the "Geronimos" after the unit redesignation from the 205th ASHC.

   86-01676, Boeing D model kit number M3181, was a CH-47D helicopter. The U.S. Army acceptance date was 24 September 1987. As of 13 August 1999, 86-01676 had accumulated 1,516.3 D model hours and 5,104.6 total aircraft hours.

   86-01676 was a conversion from the original A model Chinook 64-13135.

   On 24 September 1986, 86-01676 was inducted into the D model program, converted, and initially assigned to the 205th Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) - "Geronimos", 4th Transportation Command (TRANSCOM), United States Army Europe (USAREUR), Finthen Army Airfield, Finthen, near Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) (West Germany).

   In November 1988, the 205th ASHC was redesignated B Company - "Geronimos", 6th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, and made a subordinate unit of the 12th Aviation Brigade, 5th Corps, USAREUR, when the 4th TRANSCOM was deactivated. B Company - "Geronimos" was deactivated in September 1992.

   When the 12th Aviation Brigade stood down shortly thereafter, it was relocated to Fort Bragg, North Carolina and redesignated 159th Combat Aviation Group (CAG). The 159th CAG was relocated to Fort Campbell, Kentucky in 1997.

   86-01676 deployed with the "Geronimos" to Saudi Arabia in August of 1990.

   While on tour in Saudi Arabia and parked at King Fahd Airport during Operation Desert Shield / Storm, 86-01676 was involved in a freak accident. A U.S. Air Force C-130 tried to taxi through Chinook parking one night. Upon realizing the mistake and finding the route blocked, the pilot of the C-130 reversed the propellers and applied power. The end result: 86-01676 was blown into a concrete drainage ditch, severely damaging the structure.

   86-01676 waited out the rest of the Operation and became a Tech Supply bird.

   Missing from the record are any official accident report(s).

   Eventually, at some point, 86-01676 was repaired and subsequently assigned to A Company, 7th Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, 2nd Army, located at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

   At some point, 86-01676 was assigned to the Aviation Technical Test Center (ATTC) at Fort Rucker and was known as Bear Cat 0.

   At some point, and as of 22 April 2002, 86-01676 was undergoing modifications conducted by WestWind Tech Incorporated, at Redstone Arsenal, near Huntsville, Alabama.

   At some point, 86-01676 was assigned to ATTC at Fort Rucker, Alabama, through at least May 2008.

   In 2010, the Aviation Technical Test Center was redesignated the Aviation Flight Test Directorate (AFTD) and relocated to Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama. 86-01676 relocated there as well.

   As of 4 March 2014, this aircraft was 48.7 years old.

   As of 4 March 2014, the last known location of 86-01676 was at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, assigned to AFTD.

   Aircraft status: Flyable.

CH-47D Chinook helicopter 86-01676 in the ditch in Saudi Arabia. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger photograph.

CH-47D Chinook helicopter in the ditch in Saudi Arabia.

CH-47D Chinook helicopter 86-01676 in the ditch in Saudi Arabia. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger photograph.

CH-47D Chinook helicopter 86-01676 in the ditch in Saudi Arabia. Note the different flight control positions between the copilots and pilots side. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger photograph.

CH-47D Chinook helicopter 86-01676 in the ditch in Saudi Arabia. Note the severe damage to the underside of the airframe. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger photograph.

This aircraft was piloted by:

CW3 Eric Trafton, Pilot in Command, 1998 - 2000 / 2009 - 2014

CW2 / CIV Mark S. Morgan, PC/MP/IP/ME/CFI-II, 1988 - 1990 / 2008

WO1 J. Scott Bowen, Pilot, 1990

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This aircraft was crewed by:

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