Date:	Monday 25 February 1991
Time:
Type:	Bell UH-1H
Owner/operator:	United States Army Co. B, 4th Bn., 228th Avn. Regt
Registration:	68-15383
MSN:	10313
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Lake Ilopango -   El Salvador
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Aircraft was the trailing helicopter in a flight of 2 UH-1H aircraft from San Salvador on a routine support mission to visit military advisors in the eastern part of the country. Shortly after departing from Ilopango Airbase, the helicopter experienced a tail rotor driveshaft malfunction (shaft severed below the engine), resulting in the loss of aircraft control and crashing into Lake Ilopango, a deep volcanic lake. All five Soldiers onboard died in the impact and sinking of the aircraft. Between March 11 to 28, 1991, a joint US Navy-Army team conducted a recovery of the crew and the aircraft. Four bodies were recovered by a tethered remote controlled submersible drone from their seats inside the helicopter at a depth of about 250 feet at the lake crash site. After body recovery, an attempt was made to raise the UH-1H by its top mast ring from the lake with a CH-47D helicopter, but it failed when trying to lift the aircraft out of the water. Fuselage sank again into the depths. Portions of the rotor, mast, transmission and tailrotor driveshaft were recovered. The remains of crewchief Sgt. David M. Coleman are still missing in action in Lake Ilopango.

First hand account of James Bullinger, Co. B, 4th Bn., 228th Avn. Regt. unit commander at the time
Flight International 13-19 May 1992
Scramble
http://www.armyaircrews.com/huey.html
El Informador 27 February 1991, p17A

Lake Ilopango, El Salvador, March 25, 1991

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
15-Sep-2015 15:41	TB	Added
19-Oct-2017 12:56	TB	Updated [Cn, ]
09-Jun-2018 21:03	TB	Updated [Source, ]
11-May-2025 18:28	jrbullinger	Updated [Operator, Phase, Source, Narrative, Category, Photo, ]
14-May-2025 12:07	jrbullinger	Updated [Narrative, ]