Astray Into the Zone

God smiles upon fools—and lieutenants.

Samuel Dawson

Friday, June 02, 2023 at 05:33 PM ET

Verified

[Credit: Joel Kimmel]

Key Takeaways:

In 1988 Korea, U.S. Army aviators navigated near the DMZ under constant threat of North Korean deception tactics, relying on basic instrumentation.
During a flight, an unflagged 90-degree drift in the HSI led the crew to become disoriented, fear they had entered North Korean airspace, and forced an emergency landing due to low fuel.
Upon landing at a remote South Korean airstrip, the crew was initially surrounded by armed ROK soldiers who mistook them for infiltrators.
The mechanical failure was later confirmed when the same faulty HSI affected other senior pilots in the same aircraft, highlighting the dangers of instrument unreliability.

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As a newly minted U.S. Army aviator and UH-60 Black Hawk pilot, being based in the Republic of Korea in 1988 was an ideal first assignment. The cost of living was low, the people were friendly, and the food was great. And then there was the flying. There were few rules in Korea, and as young lieutenants and warrant officers we took advantage and “aired out” our UH-60s often.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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