[NYTr] Iraq: Another Blackhawk Huey-60 "Crash" - Another 14 US Troops Die

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

[The US military sure have some lousy maintenance over thar' in
Eye-rak. Amazing how some ground fire can cause those "mechanical
failures."  -NYTransfer] 

The Washington Post - Aug 22, 2007
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/22/AR2007082200499.html?hpid=topnews

14 U.S. Troops Die in Helicopter Crash in Iraq

Elsewhere, Suicide Bomb at Police Station in Northern Iraq Kills 20

By Megan Greenwell
Washington Post Staff Writer

BAGHDAD, Aug. 22 -- A U.S. Army helicopter crashed north of Baghdad
early Wednesday morning, killing all 14 soldiers onboard, the military
said.

Meanwhile, a suicide truck bomber in the northern city of Baiji killed
at least 20 people at a police station Wednesday morning, police said.

A statement from the U.S. military said initial evidence indicates the
UH-60 Blackhawk experienced mechanical failure and that it did not come
under enemy fire. However, the cause of the crash is under
investigation, the military said.

According to the military statement, two helicopters were conducting a
night operation when one went down. The aircraft had been carrying four
crew members and 10 passengers from Task Force Lightning, an American
operation whose area of command includes the cities of Tikrit, Kirkuk,
Samarra and Mosul.

Military travel in Iraq is often conducted on helicopters to avoid
threats from roadside bombs.

Since the conflict began 63 helicopters have gone down, including 36
struck by enemy fire. Over January and February of this year seven
military helicopters and one carrying private security contractors were
taken down by insurgent fire, killing a total of 28 people. The
incidents prompted the military to reevaluate flight plans and tactics
used to prevent anti-aircraft fire.

Wednesday's incident was the deadliest U.S. helicopter crash in Iraq
since 31 troops were killed when their CH-53E Super Stallion went down
in January 2005.

In Baiji, a fuel tanker rammed into a newly opened police station,
killing at least 20 police officers and civilians, police said. The
police department had recently moved into the new office after a truck
bombing at their previous headquarters killed 27 people in June.