Kiowa hit wires?
U.S. Helicopter Crashes in Western Iraq; 2 Killed
Wed Feb 25, 2004 08:35 AM ET
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A U.S. Kiowa reconnaissance helicopter crashed in western Iraq Wednesday, killing the two crew on board, and the U.S. Army said mechanical problems rather than hostile fire had probably brought the aircraft down. Witnesses in the town of Haditha, 125 miles northwest of Baghdad on the highway to the Syrian border, said the helicopter hit overhead power cables and crashed into a river.
The Kiowa is an observation and light attack helicopter that carries a crew of two.
Guerrilla attacks have brought down several U.S. helicopters since the invasion of Iraq last year. In the deadliest incident, 17 U.S. soldiers were killed last November when two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters collided and crashed in the city of Mosul after coming under fire.