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Use the Checklist

Paul Loschiavo soloed at 16 years old in a Piper Cub, flew helicopters off carriers in the Marine Corps, currently owns and flies a Bristell LSA in South Florida. Joel Kimmel
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A US Marine Corps helicopter crew declared an emergency and made a precautionary landing in Sicily after encountering smoke in the cabin.
  • The source of the smoke was identified as the helicopter's Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), which had been inadvertently left running for an extended period, leading to it burning out.
  • The crew safely returned to their ship after resolving the issue, but the incident necessitated an official report to higher command due to the unscheduled landing on foreign soil.
  • The experience underscored the critical importance of strictly adhering to checklists to prevent human error, even for seemingly minor procedural steps.
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We’ve all done it—accidentally pressed a wrong button on a computer. It happens. Well, the US Marine Corps CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter has a lot of buttons and switches, and it’s really important to get them right.

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