It's a 20-second, jaw-dropping clip of cell phone video that could ultimately cost two Navy helicopter pilots their flying privileges. It happened two weeks ago at Lake Tahoe and caught sightseers by surprise as they looked over the lake. "Oh my gosh," a gasping voice is heard saying on the video. Another person said, "they're totally practicing aren't they?" An official at NAS North Island in San Diego confirmed the authenticity of the video that shows two $33 million MH-60 Romeo helicopters flying over Lake Tahoe on Sept. 13. One of the helicopters appears to come dangerously close to the water before the pilot is able to regain altitude. US Navy officials from the Pentagon told NBC News this was not a training mission, but that the two helicopter crews were allegedly attempting to take photos of each other's helicopters hovering just above the waters of Lake Tahoe with the mountains as a majestic backdrop when their photo op went horribly wrong. Navy officials say the pilots had attempted to go into a routine "hover" but because of the altitude of Lake Tahoe and the weight of the aircraft, the chopper descended and partially submerged before both pilots increased power, pulled the choppers out of the water and averted a disaster. The helicopters are from North Island's Helicopter Maritime Strike 41 squadron. "An aviation mishap board has been convened," according to a North Island spokesman. The spokesperson says the helicopters sustained 'minor damage' and the ...
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