One of the Corps’ CH-53E heavy lift helicopters was damaged Sunday during a ground taxi when its landing gear inadvertently retracted.
Few details were available following the accident that occurred at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, but nobody was injured during the event, according to 1st Lt. Sam Stephenson, a spokesman with 2nd Marine Air Wing.
The incident occurred while the helicopter was taxiing back to the squadron following a routine training flight, Stephenson said.
The Corps would not provide a damage or cost assessment, but the accident was listed as a Class A mishap on a military safety report.
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The Navy defines a Class A mishap when an aircraft is destroyed or sustains $2 million or more in damages, or if there is a fatality or permanent disability.
It’s the second major aviation mishap for the Corps this month. On Dec. 6, an F/A-18 collided with a KC-130J off the coast of Japan.
So, far one Marine has been rescued in that incident. Twenty-eight-year-old F/A-18 pilot Capt. Jahmar F. Resilard was declared deceased after being found by rescue crews.
Search and rescue operations are still ongoing to find the remaining five missing Marines with the crashed KC-130.
Sunday’s CH-53E incident currently is under investigation.
Shawn Snow is the senior reporter for Marine Corps Times and a Marine Corps veteran.
