Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Mechanical Failure May Have Caused Marine Helicopter Crash

Aired January 20, 2002 - 10:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: In Afghanistan this morning, military investigators are still trying to find out the cause of a deadly helicopter crash landing there. We just heard from the Pentagon earlier this morning that mechanical problems may be to blame for the crash.

And CNN's Michael Holmes is joining us now on the phone from Kabul with the very latest -- Michael.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, good evening from Kabul.

Yes, this CH-53E Super Stallion was one of two that took off from the Bagram air base about 50 kilometers outside of Kabul, at 8:00 a.m. local time. It was bound for U.S. troops in the north part of the country awaiting supplies.

Now, seven Marines were onboard when that helicopter crashed about 60 kilometers -- that's 40 miles south of Bagram. Two were killed immediately, the other five Marines onboard were injured, two critically, two seriously, one with minor injuries.

This crash happened in mountainous terrain at about 8,000 to 9,000 feet above sea level. By comparison, Kabul here is at 6,000 feet; so it was fairly high altitude.

Despite the rough terrain, rescue crews were able to put another helicopter down at the crash site and evacuate the injured.

Let's listen to Captain Bryant of the U.S. Army.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. TOM BRYANT, U.S. ARMY: The site was quickly secured. We quickly got medical personnel and others on the ground, and got them evacuated back here. We have a robust medical treatment capability here. They were immediately tended to and quickly evacuated out of here by a C-130 to another U.S. location. And I'm not sure exactly, at this time, where that base is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Within hours, military spokesmen were saying there was no evidence of hostile fire. And Catherine, as you just said a short time ago, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld from the Pentagon that it appears to have been caused by mechanical failure. Names of the dead and injured being withheld until relatives are notified in the U.S.

Should point out that this is the second crash of a Super Stallion helicopter. In December, one experienced what the military called "a hard landing." Four Marines onboard were unhurt in that incident. The helicopter later repaired on-site and flown out under its own power.

The Super Stallion is a workhorse of the U.S. military; a massive helicopter able to carry 55 fully equipped troops, or up to 60,000 kilograms of freight. A full investigation into today's crash continues -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you. CNN's Michael Holmes from Kabul. Thanks, Michael.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's move this story to Washington, where there's reaction, of course, to the crash, and some speculation on what might have brought that chopper down.

CNN's Major Garrett is at the White House with that.

Hello Major.

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Miles.

The early word is, as Michael Holmes indicated, mechanical failure, not hostile fire. A key and important distinction for military planners and the Bush administration. Earlier today Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld summarized what the military has learned so far, and its reaction to this latest tragic news from Afghanistan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "MEET THE PRESS")

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: It appears to be, at the moment, a mechanical problem with the helicopter. And as you say, there are two dead, two critically wounded, and all of them now have been removed to a hospital.

TIM RUSSERT, HOST, NBC'S "MEET THE PRESS": And being treated? Are their chances of recovery -- are you optimistic?

RUMSFELD: Indeed, I am. There are the two critical ones, of course, it's a difficult situation. And your heart just breaks every time something like this happens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GARRETT: Even without hostile fire, Miles, the Bush administration has said over and over again, it's a perilous mission in Afghanistan. This latest crash only indicates and underscores that ever more.

Shifting gears ever so slightly, Miles, there's a continuing debate here in Washington about just exactly how upset the Saudi Arabian government is with the continued presence of United States Air Force personnel within its borders. And there was a lengthy story in the "Washington Post" this weekend, saying the Saudi Arabian government is about to ask the United States to remove those Air Force troops, Air Force personnel.

The Secretary of State Colin Powell described the overall U.S. assessment of what may come from the Saudis on this topic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: It wouldn't be unusual for people to be discussing with -- our people to be discuss with the Saudis exactly how we are distributed throughout Saudi Arabia. We have no interest in keeping forces there beyond the need for those forces. And we shouldn't impose ourselves on a government beyond the absolute minimum requirement that we have.

So the fact that some discussions might be taking place is quite normal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GARRETT: Be that as it may, Miles, the U.S. personnel stationed in Saudi Arabia help the United States project its military might throughout the region. It's been important since the Gulf War for those Air Force personnel to be there.

And, of course, a part of all the discussions on this is that Osama bin Laden had made it clear from almost the get-go that one of the things he considered most important about his global drive against the West was to see the eventual eviction of U.S. Air Force personnel from Saudi Arabia. That will complicate any discussions between this government and Saudi Arabia about those personnel's (sic) future in Saudi Arabia -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Major Garrett at the White House, thank you very much sir -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: We take a closer look now at the air power in the war on terrorism, and the military -- and the helicopter crash with CNN military analyst Don Shepperd joining us again this morning from Washington.

Good to see you again, general.

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Catherine.

CALLAWAY: We just heard the Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld say that there are early indications that suggest that the Super Stallion went down because of mechanical problems. What does that tell us, and what does he mean by "early indications"?

SHEPPERD: Well, Catherine, probably they've talked to the crew. And that's probably what they're assessing as the most likely. The thing you don't know is what caused the mechanical malfunction if, indeed, that was it.

Here's what takes place in the cockpit. When something bad happens in an airplane or helicopter, you don't sit there and diagnose it. You'll hear a thump, you'll have warning lights come on. And what you do is -- there's one overall rule: maintain aircraft control. Blue is up, brown is down. And you want to the get to the nearest suitable landing site. If you can't -- if you have to go down immediately, then you have to do the best you can, which is likely the case here.

But basically, then you secure the site and then you get the people out to get the medical attention, and then hopefully recover the aircraft and try to find out, really, what took place.

CALLAWAY: You know, most of us haven't flown helicopters. I have been in a simulator of a helicopter when they've simulated the wind and the sand situation and seen how difficult it is to try to keep a helicopter up in that kind of situation. How important is it -- the terrain and where this helicopter went down?

SHEPPERD: Well, again, reportedly it went down in very mountainous terrain. And if something happened that forced him to land immediately, then you just look down and you say, where's the clearest area I can put this thing down, and you do the best you can to maintain aircraft control and set it down as softly as can you.

Sometimes you're lucky, and sometimes you're not. But wherever you are in a helicopter when you land, you always kick up from the rotors whatever is underneath you. In the case of Afghanistan, it's a lot of sand, and it can cause what they call brownouts, where you lose visual acuity and, you know, you have to set it down on a combination of visual and instruments. It's very difficult.

CALLAWAY: I can't imagine anything worse on a helicopter than sandy conditions, and getting in the equipment and everything else on the helicopter.

SHEPPERD: Well, it's a tough operating environment over there in Afghanistan, and sand is everywhere. We see it in almost every picture. It's a problem with the weapons, and it's a problem with all the machines, although they're designed to do these things and operate in rough conditions.

CALLAWAY: Does the Super Stallion have a good safety record? I don't know if that's a tough question to ask -- but certainly there have been no repeated problems? I know a Super Stallion went down with a hard landing in December, but other than that, it's really a workhorse, isn't it?

SHEPPERD: That's not a tough question at all. It's been a very, good safety record. It's a venerable workhorse of the Marines; been around a long time, lots of hours on it, very reliable mechanically.

But, again, in these harsh conditions in wartime, bad things can happen. Just like peacetime, we have the these accidents take place just like this in peacetime conditions as well as war. CALLAWAY: All right, CNN military analyst Don Shepperd joining us from Washington. Again, good to see you, general.

SHEPPERD: Catherine.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com