Three Australian commandos aboard a US helicopter died of multiple injuries when it slammed into an embankment in Afghanistan, an inquiry has found.
The 2nd Commando Regiment members - Private Timothy Aplin, Private Benjamin Chuck and Private Scott Palmer - were killed on June 21, 2010, in the accident involving an International Security Assistance Force helicopter on a mission in Kandahar Province.
"The US investigation found that the primary cause of this helicopter crash was a lack of aircrew co-ordination during the approach to the designated landing zone, that led to what we refer as controlled flight into terrain (C-FIT)," the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, said on Friday.
"C-FIT occurs when an airworthy aircraft is flown unintentionally into terrain, obstacles or water, usually with no prior awareness by the crew. "In the case of this accident, the crew lost situational awareness of their rate of descent and impacted the ground with little or no prior warning."
Seven other Australian commandos were injured in the accident, which occurred while they were taking part in a disruption operation against insurgents.
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On day two of operation, four US UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters were transporting personnel into the desert area.
During the final approach to the landing zone, one of the helicopters, carrying the 10 Australian soldiers and US personnel, crashed into a "slight" embankment, Air Marshal Binskin said.
"The impact caused the helicopter to roll and the fuselage to catch fire," he said. The three other helicopters landed immediately and their passengers rushed to help their comrades.
The injured were transported to nearby medical facilities within 45 minutes of the crash.
Privates Aplin and Palmer were killed instantly from multiple injuries, along with one US serviceman. Private Chuck was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at the medical facility.
He had also suffered multiple wounds. A civilian interpreter and three US servicemen were wounded. An Australian inquiry officer was appointed on June 25, 2010, to examine the incident.
US authorities also conducted two inquiries into the crash.
