Marines Escape as Copter Rolls, Burns

Two Marine aviators from Camp Pendleton escaped injury when their new Cobra attack helicopter landed at a gunnery range near the Salton Sea, rolled on its side and caught fire, Marine officials reported Friday.

The crew members were identified as Capt. Stephen E. Brown of Oceanside, the pilot, and 1st Lt. Justin K. Green of Mount Krisco, N.Y., the gunner.

Col. Dan Kuhn, commander of the Camp Pendleton-based Marine Air Group 39, which is part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, said preliminary information shows that the aircraft had landed safely in the darkness. Kuhn said he could not speculate about what happened after it landed. He said the accident is under investigation.

Pilot error did not appear to be the cause of the accident, officials said.

Kuhn said the aviators were wearing night-vision goggles, but it does not appear that the light-intensifying devices played any part in the accident. “They had landed safely and they were lowering the power when the incident occurred,” he said. Kuhn added that he has asked maintenance personnel to check rivets on the landing skids and supports of all 84 helicopters under his command.

“It is a precautionary move, but I want them checked before they fly,” Kuhn said.

It was the first accident involving the new Cobra helicopters which began arriving at Camp Pendleton in 1986. It is the latest and most powerful version of the Cobra and includes the latest electronic equipment. It is manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron of Fort Worth.

The men belonged to the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 from Camp Pendleton. They have been at Yuma Marine Corps Air Station on a routine deployment since June 8.

Night-vision goggles have been implicated in a series of fatal accidents involving Marine and Army helicopters.