Riti Dey/ Asst. News editor 

Record-breaking San Diego storms caused a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter to crash in Pine Valley,  resulting in the loss of five Marines who were confirmed dead on Feb. 8. 

According to AP News, the CH-53E Super Stallion is the largest   helicopter   in  the military,.These  helicopters  are designed to    fly through bad weather.  

The incident transpired during a flight training mission, as the Marines were returning to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego from Creech Air Force Base northwest of Las Vegas, U.S. News reported. The helicopter was initially reported missing, and it was found on Feb. 7 in California’s Pine Valley, San Diego County. 

USD sophomore Emily Cizin, member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), reflected on the incident with her family, many of whom have served in the military previously. 

“I’m part of a big military family, so when anything of this nature  happens  we all talk about it together,” Cizin shared. 

“Initially  I was shocked to hear this   happened,  you know there are   dangers   surrounding   serving, but you never think they would happen  so close to you. I also  felt for all the families knowing that  their sons were no older than 28, and one was even our age. It was crushing to hear but also made a clear statement that you could lose people at any second.”

Several military and government officials commented on the tragedy. Lt. Col. Nicholas J. Harvey, the squadron’s commanding   officer, reflected on the incident in a statement to the The San Diego Union-Tribune. 

“We    have  been confronted with    a     tragedy    that  is every service    family’s  worst fear,” he said. 

The Marines were part of the “Flying Tigers,” a name assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 within the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. “The Flying Tigers family stands strong and includes the friends and community who have supported our squadron during this challenging time,” Harvey  added in his statement to the U-T. “We will get through this together.”

The families of all five Marines have been personally informed, in accordance with military protocols. The names of the fallen became public 24 hours after notifying their next of kin. The fallen included Lance Corporal Donovan Davis (21), Sergeant Alec Langen (23), Captain Benjamin Moulton (27), Captain Jack Casey (26) and Captain Miguel Nava (28).

The incident has prompted reflections about the decision-making process that led to the training mission during severe weather conditions, NBC San Diego explained. Timothy Loranger, a former Marine Corps aircraft mechanic and current civilian pilot and lawyer, emphasized in a statement to NBC San Diego the importance of evaluating the risk involved in such situations.

“This is a   training mission. It’s   assumed that it wasn’t critical that they got back to Miramar that evening,” Loranger said.  “Weather is going to be front and center,  a  very   important question.    Should  the   aircraft have been flying in these conditions?”

The CH-53E Super Stallion, though known to be a reliable military helicopter, is not exempt from mechanical issues, especially under challenging weather conditions. This crash mirrors a previous Super Stallion crash in   2018  when four Marines  from Miramar died when their helicopter crashed near the California-Mexico border,  during  a training mission. 

Marine   Corps Times  reported that the families of the victims  later sued companies such as Kampi Components Co., Inc. and Diamond Rubber Products Co. that provided parts for the helicopter, alleging a defective part contributed  to the crash, since pilot error was ruled out by the   Marine Corps   as a  likely cause. 

The Super Stallion was involved in 14 other “Class A” mishaps, which is the most  serious sort of mishap where a person either dies or faces a permanent kind of  disability. As  a result of the  last few years and the  previous lawsuit, the Corps has been transitioning from the current    model of the Super Stallion  to   a newer, more   powerful model called the King Stallion. 

AP News articulated that the possibility of mechanical failure exacerbated by the storm will be explored in an ongoing investigation regarding the reason behind the crash.

Cizin emphasized the importance of training for the military to avoid situations such as this one. 

She explained, “this [incident] put emphasis on all the preparation that you have to go through. Most of the time when you are doing something routine it feels like a drag and a waste of time,    but when something like this happens it serves as a reminder to never become complacent because complacency costs lives.”

The intense weather conditions such as heavy snowfall and high wind speeds have complicated recovery efforts, making access to the site difficult for search and rescue teams. The investigation will delve into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, seeking to provide answers and ensure lessons are learned to prevent future incidents.

A Super Stallion helicopter, like the one pictured, crashed in San Diego county.  Photo courtesy of @mattdawson.photography/Instagram