LEONE: We were assigned to fly down to Astoria in the Juliet model. RONCO: If we can begin with when you first get to Astoria: Was it the morning of? Or the night before? So, all of our couches and stuff had not arrived yet from Elizabeth City, because it was taking a barge around the whole world. I was still living in a bed and breakfast in the community because my household goods had not arrived yet. LEONE: I literally had just gotten there. Today, we begin just before the crash, which happened shortly after Leone transferred to Air Station Sitka. It is the first time he’s talked on the record to a news organization, and we’re going to bring you the interview in three parts. Those charges were dismissed, but an official reprimand was placed on his record, and he was transferred to a desk job in San Antonio, Texas. Leone, the co-pilot, faced criminal charges in the aftermath of the crash. Lieutenant Sean Krueger, who was the pilot in command, along with Petty Officer First Class Adam Hoke and Petty Officer Second Class Brett Banks – were killed. On July 7, 2010, during the first leg of that return flight, the helicopter struck wires near La Push, Washington, and crashed into the sea. An aircrew of four left Air Station Sitka to pick up the new chopper in Astoria, Oregon and fly it back to Alaska. The MH-60 Jayhawk, known by its tail number, 6017, had been upgraded in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Today, for the first time, we’ll hear from the sole survivor of the incident, Lieutenant Lance Leone. In 2010, a Coast Guard helicopter crash in Washington state claimed the lives of three airmen from Sitka. The memo also states FAA regulations don’t require power lines as low as the ones in the accident to be marked. According to a Coast Guard memo after the crash, these warning balls are half as big as the ones normally used, were faded and required replacement, and according to earlier photos, were positioned over land, leaving a large portion of the lines unmarked. ![]() ![]() Lance Leone holds one of the warning balls on the power lines his helicopter hit on July 7, 2010.
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