Sierra Nevada, California – A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter has recovered a stranded U.S. Navy MH-60S Seahawk from a remote mountainside in California’s Sierra Nevada. The operation took place in late September 2026 and involved lifting the nearly 16,000-pound helicopter from an elevation of approximately 10,000 feet.
The MH-60S, assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 (VX-31), had made a hard landing but sustained no damage. However, the steep slope prevented it from taking off again. The remote location also made it difficult to bring ground crews and equipment to drain fuel and reduce the aircraft's weight.
Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron (VMX-1) conducted the recovery using the CH-53K, which was considered the only aircraft capable of handling the required lift in the restrictive terrain. The Seahawk was transported to Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake using a 70-foot external long-line.
Special Lifting Arrangement
Engineers from the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Cargo Lab and Structures Lab developed a specialised rigging configuration to prevent further damage. Instead of attaching a sling to the main rotor head, they used the MH-60S's built-in lifting points and designed hoisting sling. Only the main and tail rotor blades were removed for protection.
Major Lee Henderson, the CH-53K pilot and mission planner, said the main challenge was performing the lift safely. The team combined established MH-60S crane-lifting procedures with the 70-foot long-line to ensure proper load distribution and obstacle clearance.
Because the line was longer than standard military slings, it required additional testing. The Structures Lab tested a commercially available line up to 20,000 pounds using a crane at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Testing and flight clearances were completed in less than two weeks. The operation also certified the CH-53K for using the longer line. The H-60 Fleet Support Team at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point provided technical guidance.
CH-53K Operated Near Performance Limits
The Seahawk's weight, 10,000-foot altitude, flight distance and weather conditions pushed the CH-53K close to its performance limits for power and fuel consumption.
Aerospace engineer Michele Hoefer highlighted these challenges. Henderson credited the helicopter's fly-by-wire flight controls and onboard systems, which calculate available power in real time based on engine performance and environmental conditions, for providing the precision needed.
The recovery was completed without further incident. The MH-60S was delivered to China Lake and is expected to return to flight operations without extensive maintenance.
Previous CH-53K Recovery Mission
VMX-1 conducted a similar recovery in September 2021, when two CH-53K helicopters lifted another Navy MH-60S from a 12,000-foot ridge on Mount Hogue in California's White Mountains.
Built by Sikorsky, the CH-53K King Stallion is the largest helicopter in the U.S. military inventory. It is replacing the older CH-53E Super Stallion in Marine Corps heavy-lift squadrons. The aircraft has also undergone further external-load testing, including a July evaluation in which one CH-53K lifted another to prepare for helicopter recovery operations.
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