2 El Toro Marines Die in Helicopter Crash in Desert

Two Marines from the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station were killed Saturday when their CH-46 Sea Knight collided in the air with another helicopter and broke apart on a routine training maneuver over the desert east of Reno.

Five of the other seven Marines aboard the two helicopters were injured in the 8 a.m. crash eight miles east of the Fallon Naval Air Station, military officials said. All of the injured were able to walk away from the crash.

The two dead Marines were identified as Sgt. Brenda L. Schroeder, 29, and Cpl. Lisa D. Tutt, 22, both of Santa Ana. Schroeder, a Marine field radio operator, was a full-time Marine in the 4th Marine Air Wing. Tutt, listed as a clerk, was a reservist.

The injured Marines who were treated and released by doctors were identified as Col. George J. O’Connell Jr. of Mission Viejo; Lt. Col. W. Tom Reid of Lake Elsinore; Maj. S. P. Toth of Irvine; Maj. Warren E. Jones of Laguna Hills, and Staff Sgt. P. L. Gauthier of San Juan Capistrano.

Col. Dave Underwood, commander of the Marine Corps reserve contingent at El Toro, said three CH-46 helicopters from El Toro’s Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 764 flew to Fallon a week ago to participate in a 14-day exercise.

Underwood said the two helicopters were at about 1,000 feet in a tactical formation and the skies were clear when the accident occurred. One of the aircraft broke in half after the crash, but the other suffered only minor damage and was able to land normally.

Officials said the morning accident did not involve the use of controversial night vision goggles.