There were no fatalities when an MH-53 Pave Low helicopter from the 20th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., crashed Sept. 7 at nearby Duke Field. Two airmen suffered minor injuries and five others were unhurt. The aircraft was on a routine training flight. The Air Force has launched an investigation in what officials have termed a “hard landing,” according to a 1st Special Operations Wing release. Firemen from Eglin AFB, Fla., put out an initial fire.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
