Japan's Defense Ministry said Tuesday crew failing to keep a lookout was among the causes for two Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopters colliding in April over the Pacific in an incident that claimed the lives of all eight personnel aboard.
The two SH-60K choppers may have mistaken the distance between them and taken no maneuvers to avoid contact until they collided during a night drill to detect submarines, according to the investigation results released by the ministry.
Each of the helicopters was under the control of a ship-based officer giving instructions, and poor communication between the two officers in charge was also a factor in the collision, it said, noting they failed to take preventive steps such as ordering the choppers to fly at different altitudes.
As measures to prevent such incidents occurring in the future, the ministry will consider installing proximity warning devices, ensuring crew maintain a proper lookout, and requiring officers in charge to communicate adequately and keep the choppers at separate altitudes when necessary, it said.
"Taking the investigation results seriously, we will make every possible effort to take countermeasures, with a determination not to cause any single casualty," Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told a press conference.
Drills involving multiple SH-60Ks are allowed from Tuesday. Since early May, operations had been restricted to flights by single helicopters.
The two choppers, each carrying four MSDF members, collided on April 20 when conducting the exercise above waters around 270 kilometers east of Torishima Island, about 600 km south of Tokyo, in the Izu island chain, with the water's depth at about 5,500 meters.
The two aircraft were moving to the same target spot to drop sonar devices into the water to detect a submarine.
One of the eight crew members was confirmed dead the following day. Last month, the SDF declared the seven missing crewmen dead, while continuing its search efforts for their bodies and the fuselages of the crashed helicopters.
Flight recorder data indicated no abnormalities in either of the choppers, according to the ministry.
© KYODO
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Desert Tortoise
Btw, the Command Pilots of the two helicopters should have been communicating and coordinating their attack staying out of each others way. There are four crew members on each helo, the Command Pilot, co-pilot and two sensor operators. There is a big radar on the chin. The pilots have a tactical display between them that should show the other helicopter (and any other aircraft), any ships in the formation, any sonobuoys already deployed and the supposed "datum" or position of the adversary submarine. The ship will have identical information on displays in their Combat Information Center. Together the two helos are going to deploy sonobuoys in a pattern to refine the datum until they are pretty certain where the sub is. At that point one of the helos descends to a 40 foot hover and lowers their sonar into the water to listen for the sub. They might have to take turns leapfrogging the sub as the sub an hear the helos and will be trying to wriggle out of the trap they have set. At some point when close enough one helo that has its sonar in the water goes active and pings the sub. Up till that point they have used sonar passively, just listening which only tells you the direction to the sub. An active ping with a good return gives you direction and distance or range. Now you know exactly where the sub is. When they get a solid return the other helo flies right over the sub, confirms there is a large metal body down there with a magnetic anomaly detector streaming behind the helos and drops torpedoes. Two dipping sonar helos with competent crews are a submarines worst enemy. There had to be a beakdown in comms and in the most basic coordination for such a mishap to occur.
Desert Tortoise
You don't understand aviation. See and Avoid over rules any outside direction. It is one of the most fundamental rules in aviation. If a controller tells you to do something and you see it may cause a collision you don't do it. The pilot has ultimate responsibility for the safe conduct of any flight.
I have flown off ships. That was my life for a long time. I was a Navy helicopter pilot. I know their world. I know that mission. Night time ASW is a little dangerous. You have to pay attention. If you have situational awareness you are going to tell the controller his direction is dangerous. And after the flight was over you might even be justified to climb up to the Combat Information Center and have a nice little chat about which one of you stupid MFs was trying to kill me.
EvilGod
What is going on with safety measures and procedures in Japan flying?
Sh1mon M4sada
I hope the crew's family has got some closures.
Sh1mon M4sada
Your adversaries don't care whether you're a pacifist or not, that this why YOU will always rely on others to defend you. In this case, they have given their life for you, so at least be grateful there are those who risk their lives every day to keep invaders at a distance.
falseflagsteve
Desert
Im a pacifist who wouldn’t join up anyway.
It says in the article each one was under control of a ship based officer giving instructions. Perhaps read the whole article before making a baseless attack on my good character.
Desert Tortoise
Pilots are required to "see and avoid" at all times. The pilots are all dead. Who are you going to prosecute. They already paid the ultimate price for their mistake.
Some of you who never served in the military and never flew military aircraft ( I flew that same mission for a time in a much older helicopter ) have some funny notions.
falseflagsteve
It’s called negligence and criminal proceedings are needed to punish those responsible.
smithinjapan
I like how they plan to "ensure personnel keep a lookout and communicate more" in an accident in which, I'm quite sure they weren't saying, "Meh... we're not required to keep a look out, nor are we to communicate." How are they going to ensure it?