By Becky Bohrer
The Associated Press
JUNEAU, Alaska — An air station commander has testified that he told a Coast Guard rear admiral that he intended to take no action against the co-pilot in a fatal helicopter crash off the coast of LaPush, but said that his plan was trumped by the senior officer.
Cmdr. William Cameron testified Thursday afternoon in a hearing to help determine whether Lt. Lance Leone should face a court-martial in the July 2010 crash, in which three others onboard died.
Leone, the sole survivor, is charged with negligent homicide and other violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Cameron, commander of Air Station Sitka, said he was prepared to recommend the matter be dropped after reading the crash investigation report and hearing the best case against Leone from a Coast Guard attorney.
Leone had been cleared for flight retraining by an evaluation board, and Cameron supported this move, which included probationary flight periods.
Cameron then said his decision was “somewhat overrun by events.”
He met with the new Coast Guard commander in Alaska, Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, at a memorial service in August for the crash victims.
Ostebo asked if Cameron had finished his analysis of the crash investigation report. Cameron said he told Ostebo he intended to take no action.
“He said, ‘Perhaps I had gotten too close emotionally to Lt. Leone or something like that,’” and lost objectivity, Cameron testified.
He then wrote a detailed memo, spelling out the reasons for his conclusions.
Lt. Cmdr. Anita Scott, a defense attorney, asked if the conversation was confrontational.
Cameron replied it was a “classic conversation” with Ostebo, whom he said can be aggressive and take charge of conversations.
Ostebo will ultimately decide what happens with the case.
Leone faces charges of negligent homicide, dereliction of duty and destruction of government property.
The charge sheet states that Leone failed to properly navigate the helicopter to avoid charted hazards and that he negligently failed to ensure it was flying at a higher altitude.
It also alleges that he did “without proper authority, through neglect, destroy by causing the crash of CG-6017,” an aircraft valued at $18.3 million.
The negligent homicide charges are related to the deaths of Brett Banks, 33, of Rock Springs, Wyo., and Adam C. Hoke, 40, of Great Falls, Mont.
There is no charge related to the death of Krueger, 33, of Seymour, Conn.
Norris, a Coast Guard judge advocate stationed in Rhode Island, is the investigating officer during the Article 32 hearing.
He will make eventual recommendations to Ostebo for the next course of action. Norris said Ostebo is not bound by any recommendations he makes.
Possibilities include dismissal of the charges, administrative action or court-martial. Leone faces a possible maximum penalty that includes 7 ½ years in prison if convicted on all courts at a court-martial.
