Antelope Island crash 29 OCT 1992
Hill Air Force Base, Utah -- (AF) -- An Air Force helicopter crashed into the Great Salt Lake during rough weather, killing 12 people, authorities said Friday. The only other person aboard was rescued from the water.
A storm, with snow at high elevations, hampered rescue efforts but all 12 bodies were recovered, said Hill Air Force Base spokesman Dave Kendziora. The MH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter was on a training mission when it went down Thursday night in northern Utah's inland sea, about 100 yards off the northern tip of Antelope Island and about 15 miles west of Hill Air Force Base.
Kendziora said crews in search helicopters spotted debris and bodies in deeper water northwest of the crash, apparently pushed there by high wind. They were recovered by crews in boats.
One survivor was pulled from the water and was in serious condition at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center with cuts on his right leg and over his left eye.
The helicopter was assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing headquartered at Hurlburt Field at Eglin Air Force Base outside Pensacola, Fla., said George Grimes, spokesman for the U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
It may have been stationed with squadrons elsewhere in Florida, he said.
The only squadron that flies the Pave Hawk is the 55th Special Operations Squadron at Eglin.
The helicopter was on a joint Army-Air Force exercise, and those aboard could have included Army personnel, Grimes said.
List Of Casualties:
Rangers
COL. John Kenellay- 3/75 CDR
LTC. Ken W. Stauss - 1/75 CDR
1sg Harvey Moore - 3 Charlie PSG
Sgt. Blaine Mishak
Spc. Jeremy Bird
Air Commandos - Quiet Professionals
LTC. Ronald Pexiotto
CPT. Michael Nazionale
TSGT. Mark Scholl
SSG. Steven. W. Kelly
Sgt. Phillp Kesler
SGT. Mark G. Lee
Senior Airman. Derek Hughes
I read something once from one of the guys who was on the bird that didn’t crash. His friend had tried to get on his helicopter and he told them there wasn’t any room. His friend got on the other bird and he was killed when it crashed. He lives with that every day.
Not forgotten