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USMC’s CH-53E Super Stallion Chopper Burns Mid-Air, Four Miraculously Saved

A CH-53 Super Stallion. Photo: Lance Cpl. Molly Hampton/US Marine Corps (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Molly Hampton)

A CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter operated by the US Marine Corps (USMC) was forced to make an emergency landing in Southern California on Friday after one of its engines caught fire mid-air.

According to a report from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, the helicopter was on a training mission when the engine malfunctioned, prompting the crew to perform an emergency landing.

Despite the fire, the pilots successfully landed the Super Stallion, and all four crew members emerged unharmed.

Wreckage of the aircraft was visible to commuters on the I-5 highway near the Aliso Creek Rest Area, resulting in a traffic jam.

Footage shared on social media showed thick smoke billowing from the Super Stallion’s fuselage.

The USMC categorized the incident as an “emergency landing” rather than a “crash,” advising the public to avoid the area to allow emergency responders to work safely.

Previous Crashes

This is not the first dangerous incident involving the CH-53E.

Ten months ago, five US soldiers were killed when a Super Stallion crashed while flying from Creech Air Force Base in Nevada to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

Four crew members were also killed in a crash involving the aircraft during a training mission near California in 2018.

Additionally, two CH-53E helicopters collided during a night training exercise off Hawaii in 2016, resulting in the deaths of 12 US Marines.

Investigators later attributed the collision to “pilot error.”

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