Had Been Told Not To Fly Into Worsening Weather Conditions

The pilots of a Louisiana National Guard Blackhawk Helicopter which went down on March 11 in the Gulf of Mexico disobeyed direct orders when they chose to continue their training mission in deteriorating weather, according to a military report obtained by the Associated Press through an FOIA request.

The accident fatally injured all 11 people on board the aircraft.

The report stated that the pilots had not been cleared to fly in the kind of conditions present at the time of the accident. The National Weather Service said that fog had reduced visibility to less than two miles when the accident occurred.

The mission was an "insertion and extraction" training using helicopters and small boats to get troops in and out of a target area, according to Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Special Operations Command spokesman Cat. Barry Morris.

The report also indicates that other pilots failed to challenge the "over-confidence" of the pilot leading the mission. A second helicopter involved in the training landed safely.

(Black Hawk helicopter pictured in file photo. Not accident aircraft)

FMI: www.lejeune.marines.mil