07 Dec. 2025, 25th anniversary of 1st flight of AH-1Z Zulu Cobra
Congratulations are in order to the men and women of the United States Marine Corps who fly and maintain the H-1 Upgrade Aircraft
AH-1Z's 07 December 2025, 25th anniversary of first flight, with 6687 days (18+ years) with zero fatal incidents.
1st fatal Zulu incident: 30 March 2019, Low Level - High Speed - NVG night training flight, Yuma Arizona.
2 instructor fatalities, CFIT, no mechanical failures found during investigation, aircraft type not grounded.
9040 days (24.8 years) with one fatal incident.
2nd fatal Zulu incident: 16 October 2025, 7:05 P.M. local, during a training mission. One fatality. The Zulu crashed in an unpopulated
desert area of Imperial Gables, CA, just west of the Ca - Az border, having originated out of Yuma Az proving grounds.
The first pilot was taken to Pioneers Memorial Hospital in Brawly, Ca where he was pronounced deceased. The second
pilot was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, Ca in stable condition officials said. The cause
of the incident is under investigation. Aircraft type not grounded.
9092 days (25 years) with two fatal incidents.
The nine events that I am aware of (public accessed data) are as follows:
1) 20 Jan. 2017, engine warning light, precautionary night landing, Ikei Okinawa, Japan, instrumentation.
2) 08 Jan. 2018, 4:45 P.M. local, T/R warning light, precautionary landing, Okinawa, Japan, wiring issue.
3) 23 Jan. 2018, 8:00 P.M. local, warning light, precautionary landing, Tonaki Is. Okinawa, Japan, instrumentation.
4) 01 Jun. 2018, low oil pressure warning light, precautionary landing, Fallbrook Airpark, N.E. San Diego, instrumentation.
5) 30 Mar. 2019, Low Altitude - High Speed NVG night training flight detailed above.
6) 06 Jan. 2022, Autorotation practice near Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, N.J. USA. Pilot not prepared to accommodate
rapid descent rate during practice auto. Significant landing gear damage. 2 occupants received unspecified injuries, no fatalities.
7) 13 Jan. 2022, precautionary landing at Tonaki Heliport Okinawa, Japan, due to an indication of a hydraulic fluid leak.
Flew out next day and returned to base. 2 occupants, no personnel injured.
8) 30 Aug. 2024, Japan. An AH-1Z of MCAS Futenma was on a training flight when a warning light lit up. The Viper made
a precautionary landing at Gyeongma airport, (located on an outer island about 40 kilometers west of Naha City), due to engine trouble.
There were no reported injuries and no reported damage. After maintenance with support Venom helicopter attending, the
the AH-1Z left Gyeongma airport @ 13:00 local next day.
9) 16 Oct. 2025, training flight detailed above.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year OOH - RAH!
07 December 2025, Ernie Powell
Congrats to V-280 Valor Team!
Reference Post #29 for attached white paper information.
Last edited by Otterotor; 8th December 2025 at 01:42.
Reason: maintain consistant format