Risk Management Magazine

After an exhaustive training flight in the desert, the crew was pleased with what they accomplished. All that was left was to conduct their before-leaving-the-helicopter checks. What they didn’t know was their biggest mistake of the night was about to occur.

On an October night in 2024, a flight of two AH-64D Apaches returned to base in Erbil, Iraq, after a routine training mission. The crews were cleared for a straight-in approach to their parking pads, a maneuver they had performed countless times, day and night. At this stage of their deployment, the approach was as familiar as a daily commute home from work — simple and routine.

Procedures exist for a reason, especially at non-towered airfields. When we use the CTAF to announce our position and listen for others, we create a safe operating environment for everyone involved. That other pilot either wasn't transmitting, wasn't listening or both.