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86-01644, Boeing D model kit number M3149, was a CH-47D helicopter. The U.S. Army acceptance date was 20 January 1987. As of 1 January 2003, 86-01644 had accumulated 2,921.2 D model hours and 7,237.0 total aircraft hours. 81-23381 was a conversion from the original A model Chinook 65-08004. On 12 February 1986, 86-01644 was inducted into the D model program, converted, and initially assigned to Fort Rucker, Alabama. At some point, 86-01644 was assigned to Company E, 168th Aviation. At some point, 86-01644 was assigned to an unknown unit and deployed to the country of Afghanistan. At some point, 86-01644 was assigned to C Company - "Flippers", 159th Aviation Regiment, 18th Aviation Brigade, 18th Airborne Corps, Simmons Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. As of 6 April 2002, the 18th Aviation Brigade was located at Simmons Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, and was subordinate to the 18th Airborne Corps. The 18th Airborne Corps was subordinate to Forces Command (FORSCOM), which was a major command (MACOM) of 2nd Army. C Company was the former 196th Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) - "Flippers". The 196th ASHC was re-designated A Company, 2nd Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment in approximately 1988. In September 1996, 2nd Battalion was deactivated and the unit was re-designated A Company, 159th Aviation Regiment. In approximately November 1996, the unit was re-designated as C Company, 159th Aviation Regiment. 86-01644 remained with the "Flippers" until it was lost due to enemy action on 30 May 2007 in the upper Sangin Valley in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The callsign assigned for the last mission was Flipper 75. Flipper 75 was Chalk 2. After departing a landing zone (LZ), at an airspeed of approximately 60-70 knots and at an altitude of approximately 200 feet above ground level (AGL), a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) came across the nose of Chalk 3 and struck Chalk 2 in the aft pylon. The aircraft nosed over and struck the ground. There was no time to react or recover. The crew of five and one passenger perished in the crash. This is believed to be the first direct combat loss of an aircraft assigned to the "Flippers" since the unit's inception over 41 years ago. The "Flippers" have been deployed to the Republic of Vietnam and Iraq as part of Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and most recently to Afghanistan as part f Operation Enduring Freedom. As of 30 May 2007, this aircraft was 41.1 years old. As of 30 May 2007, the last known location of 86-01644 was in the country of Afhgaistan. Aircraft status: Shot down. |
