Military

An infantry battalion had convoyed to an assembly area in preparation to be airlifted. The Air Force crew had difficulty getting the S-1 section's vehicles -- two HMMWVs with a water buffalo between them -- loaded and properly secured on the C-130. When the crews finished loading and securing the vehicles and cargo, they let the passengers board.

"There were 10 of us, and there wasn't much room," says the NCOIC. "I warned my guys, 'Don't sit around these vehicles; I don't trust them.' I had a clerk move from between the water buffalo and the rear HMMWV. As the aircraft started to taxi, I woke another soldier who was lying in the rear of the forward HMMWV with his legs hanging out the rear of the truck and had him move his legs inside the vehicle."

Just as the C-130 lifted off the ground, the water buffalo broke loose, rolled back, and slammed into the rear HMMWV, breaking its chains and causing both to slam into the rear ramp of the aircraft. The aircrew quickly alerted the flight crew. The pilot immediately set the aircraft back down and braked hard. Both loose vehicles rolled forward, slamming into the truck in the front of the cargo bay.

"There was no serious damage to the vehicles," said the NCOIC, "but I was glad that our soldiers had not been between the trucks or trailers."

A DRIVER OF A HEMMT WAS PART OF A CONVOY. HE BEGAN SPEEDING TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN HIS VEHICLE AND THE TRUCK AHEAD. NOT REALIZING THE CONVOY HAD STOPPED, HE REAR-ENDED THE TRUCK.

DURING A ROAD MARCH, THE CONVOY CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. THE HEMMT DRIVER HAD FAILED TO MAINTAIN AN INTERVAL LARGE ENOUGH TO MAKE A CONTROLLED EMERGENCY STOP AND COLLIDED WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT.

AN M1A1 LOADER FAILED TO ENSURE THE HATCH WAS LOCKED OPEN BEFORE THE TANK MOVED. THE HATCH CAME DOWN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING, INJURING HIS HAND.

WHILE WAITING FOR THE TANK TO BE REFUELED, THE TC DECIDED TO MOVE THE MAIN GUN TUBE. HE FAILED TO CONFIRM THAT CREWMEMBERS WERE CLEAR BEFORE ELEVATING THE TUBE (POSITIVE COMMUNICATION). WHEN THE GUN WAS ELEVATED, THE BREACH STRUCK THE GUNNER IN THE KNEE, FRACTURING HIS KNEECAP.

A SOLDIER WALKED FROM A HALTED CONVOY TO AN ABANDONED ENEMY FIGHTING POSITION AND RETURNED CARRYING AN MLRS BOMBLET. THE BOMBLET EXPLODED IN HIS HANDS, KILLING TWO SOLDIERS AND INJURING ANOTHER.

A SOLDIER WAS CLEANING THE LOWER RECEIVER GROUP OF HIS M16A2 WITH A WEAPONS CLEANING BRUSH. THE BRUSH ENGAGED THE TRIGGER AND THE WEAPON DISCHARGED WOUNDING HIS LEG. THE WEAPON HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY CLEARED.

A SOLDIER WAS CUTTING A PLASTIC CABLE WITH THE KNIFE BLADE POINTING TOWARD HIM. WHEN THE CABLE SNAPPED, THE SOLDIER LOST CONTROL OF HIS ARM, AND THE KNIFE STABBED HIM IN THE EYE.

WHEN LIFTING A TRAILER TIRE, A SOLDIER FAILED TO GET HELP, AND STRAINED THE MUSCLES IN HIS FOREARM.

A SOLDIER FAILED TO DRINK SUFFICIENT FLUIDS IN THE EXTREME HEAT AND SUFFERED DEHYDRATION.

WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A NIGHT TACTICAL PARACHUTE JUMP, A SOLDIER FAILED TO KEEP HIS FEET AND KNEES TOGETHER. WHILE HITTING THE GROUND, HE TURNED HIS ANKLE AND WAS LOST FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRAINING EXERCISE.

A SQUAD WAS CONDUCTING A PATROL AT NIGHT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. AS THE SOLDIERS WALKED DOWN A HILL, THEY SLIPPED ON THE WET ROCK. SEVERAL SOLDIERS WERE INJURED. THE PATROL LEADER FAILED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FOR TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.

WHILE ON TOP OF A LANCE MISSILE CARRIER (M667), A SOLDIER FAILED TO MAINTAIN THREE POINTS OF CONTACT. AS HE REACHED DOWN TO RETRIEVE CAMOUFLAGE NETTING, THE SOLDIER LOST HIS BALANCE, FELL OFF THE VEHICLE AND INJURED HIS BACK.

DURING CLIMBOUT FROM A TAKEOFF ON A NVG TRAINING FLIGHT, BOTH THE PILOT AND THE COPILOT OF A UH-1H CHANNELIZED THEIR ATTENTION INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT TO TURN ON AND SET THE RADAR ALTIMETER (WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BEFORE TAKEOFF). NEITHER PILOT MONITORED ALTITUDE OR OBSTACLE CLEARANCE. AS A RESULT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALLOWED TO DESCEND INTO TERRAIN.

WHILE ON A NIGHT-UNAIDED TACTICAL MISSION IN MARGINAL WEATHER, AT 100 FT ABOVE WATER, AN OH-58 PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) ATTEMPTED TO FLY OUT OF A THUNDERSTORM. WITHOUT DIRECTING ASSISTANCE FROM THE COPILOT FOR INSTRUMENT CROSSCHECKS, THE PIC ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TASKS BY HIMSELF: RADIO CALLS, INSTRUMENT CROSSCHECKS, AND RESETTING FORCE TRIM. AS A RESULT, THE PIC BECAME TASK-SATURATED, DID NOT NOTICE THE LOSS OF ALTITUDE, AND ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO DESCEND INTO THE WATER.