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Marines-Coast Guard Plane Crash at San Clemente Island

by Jordan Yerman | October 30, 2009 at 06:20 am

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A Marine helicopter and Coast Guard plane crashed near San Clemente Island, off the coast of Southern California. Nine people are missing after the AH-1 Super Cobra helicopter collided with the C-130 plane. Rescue crews are still searching for any survivors: the crews of both aircraft have survival training, provided they survived the initial crash.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesman said a pilot reported seeing a fireball near the area.

The plane - reported to be a C-130 aircraft - is believed to have had seven people on board.

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albertacowpoke

at 11:00 on October 30th, 2009

Apparently this was a nighttime exercise. Hopefully they find the survivors.

albertacowpoke

at 11:04 on October 30th, 2009

Mid-air collision between Coast Guard C-130, Naval AH-1 helicopter
• Coast Guard to FOX40: C-130 based out of McClellan Airfield
• Pilot reported collision around 7:20pm Pacific Time
• FOX40 News has a crew en route to San Diego, more on FOX40 Live

The link contains a video.

albertacowpoke

at 11:08 on October 30th, 2009

LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Coast Guard and Navy were searching early Friday for as many as nine people off the Southern California coast following a collision between a Coast Guard plane and a Marine Corps helicopter, officials said.

The crash was reported at 7:10 p.m. Thursday, about 50 miles off the San Diego County coast and 15 miles east of San Clemente Island, Coast Guard spokeswoman Petty Officer Allyson Conroy said.

A pilot reported seeing a fireball near where the aircraft collided, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said, and the Coast Guard informed the FAA that debris from a C-130 had been spotted. Seven people were on board the plane, a C-130, and two people were aboard the helicopter, he said.

politisite

at 13:15 on October 30th, 2009

Bit too many crashes lately. We just has to F-16 collide in SC within the last two weeks. A C-130 can carry cargo and many people. While tragic the casualties could have been ten fold.