What happened
Following an incident involving a Boeing Chinook helicopter, registration ZA671, emergency response and recovery operations were coordinated between UK military personnel and local US authorities. After the initial impact, various units, including 669 Sqn AAC, were mobilized to the crash site. Local police from El Centro and Yuma, along with fire services from NAFEC, attended the scene to provide medical assessments.
While emergency services arrived to check the vitally signs of those on board, the crew and passengers declined hospital evacuation at the scene, opting instead to sign medical waivers. The recovery process involved multiple sorties by a 669 Sqn AAC Lynx helicopter to transport personnel, including technicians and signallers, to and from the site. During the operation, civilians arrived at the wreckage to provide food and water to the personnel on the ground. By late evening, all passengers and crew members had been transported to El Centro Hospital for thorough medical evaluation.
The investigation
The investigation examined the condition of the aircraft, the effectiveness of emergency equipment, and the environmental impact of the crash. Investigators established that the crew was fit for duty, the weather conditions were suitable, and the aircraft had been serviceable prior to the event.
Testing of personal survival equipment conducted by the RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine (RAFCAM) revealed that while most equipment functioned correctly, two SARBE 7 beacons were found to be unserviceable during bench testing. The investigation also noted that although the crew successfully egressed the aircraft using emergency exits, they initially left their Go-Bags inside the wreckage and had to return to retrieve them.
Findings
- The Boeing Chinook ZA671 sustained catastrophic damage to its forward and aft structures, leading to a Category 4 repair classification.
- The total estimated cost of damage to the airframe, equipment, and property is between £6-7M.
- The crash resulted in the release of hydraulic oil and composite fibre shards from damaged blades into the surrounding environment.
- Two unserviceable SARBE 7 beacons were identified during post-accident testing.
- There were no injuries reported among the crew or passengers following their medical assessment.