Investigators Sift Wreckage of Crash That Killed Two

Marine investigators on Sunday sifted through the wreckage of a CH-46 Sea Knight that collided with another helicopter, killing two women Marines from Orange County in the desert east of Reno.

“They’ve been at the crash site since 6 this morning (Sunday) trying to piece together every bit of evidence. But they have no conclusions at this time,” said Capt. Katie Haddock, a spokeswoman at the Fallon Naval Air Station in Nevada.

Investigators from the Aircraft Mishap Board are expected to continue their examination today of the wreck, which also injured five of the other seven people aboard.

Mass Dedicated to Victims

Meanwhile, a morning mass at the Naval Air Station was dedicated Sunday to the two women who died, Sgt. Brenda L. Schroeder, 29, a mother of four, and Cpl. Lisa D. Tutt, 22, both of Santa Ana.

Schroeder’s husband, Michael, did not wish to comment to the media.

A memorial service has also been scheduled for 12:30 p.m. today at the Naval Air Station, Haddock said.

The two helicopters from Medium Helicopter Squadron 764 at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station had flown to Fallon a week ago to participate in a 14-day exercise nicknamed “High-Roller.”

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 helicopter sustained only minor damage and was able to land normally.

However, the two craft were not involved in the “High-Roller” exercise when the accident occurred, a Marine spokesman said.

Indoctrination Flight

Both women were on their first “indoctrination flight” in a CH-46 at the time of the accident near the Fallon base, about 60 miles east of Reno.

The accident may be the first in which female Marines have died in an aircraft training crash, Haddock said, although records were unavailable to confirm this from Marine Headquarters in Washington.

Marine officials declined to disclose where the two women were seated aboard the helicopter and declined to speculate why they were fatally injured and the others who were injured were able to walk away from the crash.

“Those questions would have to be answered by the accident investigation. And we won’t have that answer for some time, “ said Maj. James McClain, a spokesman at El Toro.