Black Hawk helicopter crashed into Mount Massive

[Teledon360]

I was up there too on saturday and paused at each sight. I brought a few of the metal pieces from the sight at 14,000' and brought it down with me and placed it at the base of the cross. Which makes me wonder, should everyone up there grab a piece on their way down as a remembrance and leave it at the trailhead, and to clean up the mountain. Any thoughts on that? Also I found some material that seemed like honey comb with carbon fiber tape on one side at the sight. I was thinking it must be some type of radar absorbent material or something, I bet Covrider would know that one.

The cross at the trailhead definitely brought a tear to my eye reading what all of the crew's loved ones and friends wrote. It turned out to be one of my most thought filled hikes.

And yes fletchersteel it is on the southwest route. But the higher up sight is probably only 100 yards down the trail from where the Standard route intersects it.

[Teledon360]

Yah I was wondering what to do. I think to some degree people will take it as a souvenir anyways. Part of me was saying leave it, and the other part was saying take it down. I was surprised the earth around it wasn't burnt more. My friend who kiked ahead of me didn't even notice it until I pointed it out.

[kenike]

Wow, highcomm...that brought tears to my eyes.

I, too, say leave the debris. It's part of a grave (of sorts) now, and part of the mountain (in a way) now.

[Moboy56]

in response to teledon360's find about the honeycomb material, it could be the part of the rotor blade. believe it or not the blades are a honeycomb covered with carbon fiber. the leading edge is metal. this makes them light i suppose. i did a stint of annual training in corpis christi where they rebuilt and tested the blades. i salute those guys for their sacrifice, and thank you all on this sight that for paying respect to those on board that helicopter. i'm glad they put a marker up, prayers go out to the families.
SFC Wallace
(moboy56)

[Tim McMarmot]

My prayers go to the families and my thanks to those who have and do serve.

[tmathews]

Just an update to this story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02609.html
Human error cited in Army helicopter crash in Colo

[Aubrey]

What a sad tragedy. Why were they not fully aware of the helicopter's performance limits at that altitude? Wasn't that the whole point of the exercise in the first place?

[Moboy56]

it's really hard to say why they crashed. air density changes all the time and they may have concluded while flying at a somewhat lower altitude, they could make the summit and safley land. it didn't go well whatever happened. i'm not second guessing the pilots by any means. something just went wrong and was out of their control. again i salute those fliers.

[tenpins]

not for nothin', but "human error" is pretty vague and thats on purpose. UH60 has enough power to operate at that altitude, but lets remember this was a SOAR (spec ops) bird. They are not going to disclose anything about any system or hardware on that bird.

[kenike]

not for nothin', but "human error" is pretty vague and thats on purpose. UH60 has enough power to operate at that altitude, but lets remember this was a SOAR (spec ops) bird. They are not going to disclose anything about any system or hardware on that bird.

This. It's kind of a scapegoat explanation, which is both good and bad. Good for the unit, bad for the permanent record of the deceased pilot & crew....a shame, really