Date:	Thursday 13 September 1990
Time:	afternoon
Type:	Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion
Owner/operator:	USMC
Registration:	161390
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Dhahran-King Abdul Aziz Naval Base -   Saudi Arabia
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Dhahran-King Abdul Aziz Naval Base
Destination airport:

Narrative:
While performing a rolling takeoff in tandem with another CH-53, the aircraft failed to achieve enough lift. Inadvertently attempting a take-off on only one engine after refueling, the pilot of the aircraft lost control as it transitioned out of ground effect, crash-landed, rolled, and caught on fire. The crew made it out, the copilot suffered some burns.

Inadvertently attempting a take-off on only one engine after refueling, the pilot of
the aircraft lost control as it transitioned out of ground effect, crash-landed, rolled,
and caught on fire. The aircraft was a total loss.

1) Witnessed the incident first-hand.
2) Headquarters, Marine Corps History and Museums Division publication titled "U.S. Marines in the Persian Gulf, 1990-1991 The 3d Marine Aircraft Wing in Desert Shield and Desert Storm". p51(also briefly noted in the chronology on p186)
3) Flight International 8/14 May 1991

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
09-May-2022 05:43	lolvidar	Added
09-May-2022 05:45	harro	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, ]
09-Nov-2024 08:12	SikFan	Updated [Other fatalities, Source, Narrative, ]