ARMY SAYS BAHAMAS CRASH PILOT ERROR

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) An Army investigator said a pilot with a daredevil
reputation was to blame for a helicopter crash in the Bahamas in July that
killed his wife and another soldier's wife.

However, the pilot's lawyer said a mechanical failure was to blame and his
client did nothing dangerous.

In a report obtained by the Savannah Morning News through a Freedom of
Information Act request, the Army's investigator concluded that pilot error
by Chief Warrant Officer Daniel P. Riddell was to blame for the crash.

Riddell, Chief Warrant Officer David E. Guido and Sgt. William E. Westgate
face a court-martial on involuntary manslaughter and other charges.

Other soldiers said Riddell had the nickname "Air Show Dan" because he was
known to fly low and do tricks to show off, the report stated.

Riddell, who is stationed at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, was in the
Bahamas to take part in an anti-drug program.

He, Guido and Westgate took Guido's wife, Pam, and Riddell's wife, Rebecca,
for a ride on their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The women were killed and
the three men were seriously injured in the crash.

Riddell's lawyer, Doug Andrews, said the Army investigator told only one
side of the story. He said Riddell did not cooperate with the probe because
it "was designed to gather evidence for the prosecution."

"Mr. Riddell was an excellent pilot, as was Mr. Guido," he said. "They
loved their wives deeply and they would not have done anything to endanger
their lives."

The report also raised questions about the Army's mission in the Bahamas,
which supports Drug Enforcement Administration efforts in the Caribbean. It
said the assignment had a "party atmosphere" and was known as a way for
military families to take free vacations.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski