It involved a Lockheed HC-130H Hercules of the United States Coast Guard and a Bell AH-1 SuperCobra of the U.S. Marine Corps.

At 19:10 local time on 29 October 2009 (02:10 on 30 October UTC), a Lockheed HC-130H Hercules aircraft of the United States Coast Guard and a Bell AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter of the United States Marine Corps collided in mid-air.

[7] The crew members aboard the Marine helicopter were Maj. Samuel Leigh of Belgrade, ME, and First Lt. Thomas Claiborne of Douglas, CO.[7] The HC-130H Hercules involved was serial number 1705.

[2] A joint investigation by the United States Coast Guard and the U.S. Marine Corps was opened into the accident, headed by Rear Admiral Korn.

However, both identified serious failings on the part of the U.S. Navy air traffic control center that had responsibility for the airspace within which the collision occurred.