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

DATE: SUNDAY, June 24, 1990                   TAG: 9006280644
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: D-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NORFOLK                                LENGTH: Medium

TWO COPTER CRASH VICTIMS FOUND

Searchers on Saturday found the bodies of two Navy men missing since their helicopter crashed off the Virginia coast the day before, a Navy spokesmen said. Two crew members remained missing.

"The search will continue until dark, and resume Sunday," said Lt. Russ Greer, a spokesman for the Atlantic Fleet Naval Air Force in Norfolk.

The bodies were taken to the Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Greer said.

They have been identified as Petty Officer 1st Class Norman H. Geisel, 29, of Saint Mary's, Md., and Airman John W. Burkhardt Jr., 21, of Boyleston, Mass., the spokesman said.

Lt. Jane T. Paradeis, 26, of Rice, Minn. and Lt. j.g. Jason K. Skubi, 24, of Sandpoint, Idaho, were missing and presumed dead, Greer said.

The CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter went down about 6 1/2 miles off Virginia Beach at 12:50 p.m. Friday, said Lt. Cmdr. Carrie Hartshorne, a spokeswoman for the Atlantic Fleet.

Divers from the salvage rescue ship USS Opportune found the two bodies late Saturday afternoon, Greer said. An unnamed 65-foot rescue boat located some wreckage earlier Saturday, he said.

The helicopter was from the Norfolk-based Helicopter Combat Squadron Eight.

It was flying from the Norfolk Naval Air Station to the USS Detroit, a Sacramento-class fast combat support ship, when it went down.

"The helicopter was one of two attached to the Detroit and had been ferrying men and equipment from the ship to the air station," he said. "The helicopter apparently went down in sight of the Detroit."

The 89-foot-long, twin-engine helicopter is used by the Navy to resupply ships at sea. It can carry loads of 6,000 pounds at speeds of 165 mph.

The Navy and Marine Corps fleet of 340 Sea Knights was grounded twice in May because of mechanical problems.

The first of the Sea Knights entered the service in 1962 and went out of production in 1971. Problems were found in the helicopter's rear transmission and forward rotor in May. Navy technicians replaced the suspect parts before the helicopters were placed back in service, according to Navy officials.

There is no indication the crash was related to those problems, Greer said.

by CNB