The Loss of HH-3E 66-13289

They had hoisted a Captain off a freighter in the S. China Sea, approximately 60 - 80 miles west of Luzon in the Philippines.  Immediately after air refueling with the HC-130, the HC-130 AC advised them that they were trailing smoke.  The sea was calm, so the AC elected to jettison the external fuel tanks (tips), as was the procedure as stated in the "dash one" for "open sea landings".  Upon landing in the open sea, the crew deployed a life raft and tied it to the aircraft.  The helicopter mechanic crawled onto the engine platform and discovered a very "shiny" spot on the inside of the cowling near the transmission.  He indicated it was caused by a crack in the transmission, which allowed the oil to "shoot" out at a high pressure, thereby causing the shiny spot on the cowling.  He stated there was a small crack in the transmission directly across from the "shiny spot".

Meanwhile, the AC and copilot opened the dry bays in the cabin and the sponsons, to determine if water was getting into the aircraft anywhere.  If they had found any, they were prepared to use the "sump pump" to expel it.

The Flight Surgeon had boarded the raft and was floating around the helicopter - taking pictures of the HH-3E on the water.  Those pictures proved the sea was calm and all was stable.  The HC-130 RO had contacted the 31st ARRS at Clark AB to request assistance in recovering the crew, but there were no other helicopters " in commission".  The USN unit at Cubi Point NAS was contacted and they immediately dispatched an H-3 to recover the crew of the stricken helicopter.  En-route to the scene, the USN crew requested navigation assistance, so the HC-130 found them and escorted them to the scene.  The USN H-3 arrived at the scene just prior to dusk and the sea was still calm.  The AF crew and survivor boarded the raft and paddled away from the floating HH-3, so the rotor wash from the hovering H-3 would not tip it over.  The crew was advised that a USN gunboat and sea going tug were en-route to recover the stricken HH-3E.

Unfortunately, when the crew left the HH-3, they neither closed the dry bays, windows, doors, or left any lights on.  By the time the USN boats arrived in the area, darkness prevented them from immediately locating the HH-3E.

The HC-130 accompanied the USN H-3 to Cubi Point NAS, to assist them with navigation and recover the crew and survivor for the trip to Clark AB, leaving the HH-3E floating alone.  When the navy vessels could not locate the HH-3E, they dispatched a P-3 to assist in the search.  The P-3 located the HH-3E at daylight.  However about 0300 a squall line had moved through the area and apparently the waves caused the HH-3E to turn over.  All the P-3 crew saw upon initial sighting was the tail sticking out of the water.  They immediately notified the boats and a crew from one of the boats launched a small boat and they went over to it - though they didn't tie onto it.  The 31st ARRS was preparing to launch an HC-130 with pararescuemen and an "Apollo" collar to attach to the HH-3E.

With that information about the HC-130 coming, the USN personnel elected to sit back and do nothing since, in their opinion, the aircraft was "neutrally buoyant" and the sea was again calm.  About that time the HH-3E sank in 12,900 feet of water!!!!

Though there was quite a bit of disagreement during the board proceedings, as to what really caused the "accident", the USAF determined that it was "material failure of the transmission".

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