
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, April 7, 1990                   TAG: 9004070306
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

COPTER DESIGN FLAWS BLAMED FOR 15 DEATHS

Flaws in the design of the Army's CH-47D helicopter have caused two accidents that killed 15 servicemen and injured six others, a House subcommittee contends.

The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on oversight and investigations found that in at least 25 instances potential disasters were avoided by the work of the aviator, constraints on the aircraft or luck.

Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., chairman of the subcommittee, in an April 4 letter to Army Secretary Michael P.W. Stone, questioned why the service continues to procure the helicopter despite the mechanical problems. He also asked if the Army would suspend its plans to buy 144 helicopters at a cost of $900 million over three years until the problems are fixed.

The report said the CH-47D, a twin-engine, transport helicopter made by Boeing Helicopters of Philadelphia, has suffered numerous mechanical problems that have grounded the aircraft nine times, including five last year. In addition, the Army Aviation Systems Command has issued "no less than 84 flight safety directives to correct safety problems on the aircraft."

- Associated Press

by CNB