Date:	Tuesday 14 September 1982
Time:
Type:	Sikorsky CH-53A Sea Stallion
Owner/operator:	HMH-777 USMC
Registration:	153312
MSN:	65-089
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	off Oksböl -   Denmark
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	USS Guadalcanal LPH-7
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Crashed into North Sea off Denmark during NATO exercise "Northern Wedding" (1.)

OKSBOL, Denmark, Sept. 15— All five servicemen who died on a United States Marine helicopter that crashed into the North Sea Tuesday were from Texas, a Marine spokesman said today. The victims were identified as a Navy commander, David R. Morrison of Dallas, and four marines, Capt. William H. Coke of Court Hurst, Capt. James Huff of the Colony, Staff Sgt. Gary J. Lester of Arlington and Sgt. Timothy A. Creighton of Grand Prairie (2.) Vertical hinge pin failure - flung rotor blade.
(3.) Cause of crash was "catastrophic tail gearbox failure".

1. Hamburger Abendblatt 15.9.1982, p36
2. NY Times 15.9.1982, p
3. Robert A. Morris, SSgt USMC (Ret.) I was on the ship, I was Avionics for the squadron. After we returned to the states, the results from the investigation were released, and a squadron announcement was made. Also, a new 50 hour inspection was instituted to magnaflux the tail gearbox mounts. It was a manufacturing defect on a particular series of gearboxes. Over half the CH-53 fleet was grounded until new gearboxes became available.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
01-May-2011 11:34	TB	Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Source, Narrative]
03-May-2012 12:17	rdfoster	Updated [Source, Narrative]
24-Jan-2013 07:41	TB	Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]
15-Sep-2016 06:19	MikeSafeO	Updated [Operator, Phase, Narrative]
02-Sep-2017 07:12	SSgtRobertMorris	Updated [Operator, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
11-Feb-2020 16:23	Iwosh	Updated [Operator, Operator]