Courtney:
We haven't, before or after this incident, had Chinooks throwing themselves into rocks and it is very very improbable that this one did,
Oh how quickly you forget:-
13-MAY-1986, ZA715, Flew into rising ground in bad weather, Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 16
David Vincent BROWNING
Wayne John HOPSON
Unidentified Ghurka Soldier
Link
27-FEB-1987, ZA721, Crashed on test flight after servicing due to mechanical failure, Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
Stephen John NEWMAN
Anthony Donald MOFFAT
Andrew John JOHNS
David John CHITTY
Jeremy Charles MARSHALL
Karl Mark MINSHULL
Peter Jason WHITWELL
Link
Many on ZA721 were friends...
[Edit]
Since I can't find the details of the ZA715 crash I'll concede that it may not have "thrown itself into the ground"... The DASH runaway that occurred on ZA721 was most definitely a case of a Chinook "throwing itself into the ground".
Apologies for going off half cocked.
[/Edit]