HSL-40 Staff's Quick Action Saves Lives

These are the words used to describe the actions of five of HSL-40's Sikorsky Support Services Line Division personnel in the Letter of Commendation presented to each of them during quarters in March by Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Barry "Bear" Taylor.

On Jan. 17, Instructor Pilot Lt. Nate Moore and student pilot Lt.j.g. William Welsh were starting the engines of aircraft 401 for its second flight of the day when they noticed a fire warning light in the cockpit. Outside, the Plane Captain, Christian Garcia, was giving them the visual signal that their aircraft was on fire.

Welsh noticed, "… sparks from the right side of the aircraft move right to left in front of the windscreen."

The perspective of those outside the aircraft, the Sikorsky personnel, was much different as they had a clear view of the right side of the aircraft. Gregory Maxwell was standing fire-watch.

"I started to walk away when I heard a loud popping sound," Maxwell recounted. "I turned to see sparks and then flames coming from the number 2 engine."

The pilots quickly followed the procedures for an engine fire and shutdown both engines. As they brought the main rotor to a stop, they discharged the onboard fire-extinguishing agent into the number 2 engine compartment. Due to the severity of the fire, however, further assistance was required from Sikorsky personnel to contain the fire and ensure the safe egress of the aircrew.

According to the Safety Observer, Jerry Chiles, "Immediately, the fire started to engulf the entire starboard side of the aircraft with the flames spreading toward the belly of the aircraft .... In my 27 years of naval aviation I have never seen a helicopter fire this big."

Once the aircrew brought the main rotor to a stop, Mike Cartica and Nedinardo Tua, a Plane Captain trainee, approached the nose of the aircraft to aid in the safe egress of the aircrew. At the same time Jerry Chiles and Gregory Maxwell succeeded in eliminating the fire on the starboard side of the aircraft.

For their actions that day Plane Captain Christian Garcia, Fire Bottle Operator/Chock Runner Gregory Maxwell, Safety observer Jerry Chiles and Trainee's Mike Cartica and Nedinardo Tua were each presented with a Letter of Commendation that concluded with the remarks that his "exceptional professionalism, initiative, and loyal devotion to duty reflected credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."