Pilot Says He Wasn’t Warned of U.S. Copters

OKLAHOMA CITY — An Air Force pilot who shot down a U.S. helicopter over Iraq testified Wednesday that a radar plane gave no warning that two American copters were in the no-fly zone established after the Gulf War.

Capt. Eric Wickson testified under immunity at a hearing for three AWACS radar plane crew members charged with dereliction of duty. He said they had the craft on radar but did not identify them.

Wickson also said the helicopter he downed was not broadcasting a code identifying it as friendly.

Twenty-six people were killed April 14 when the two helicopters were shot down.

Wickson said he thought the copters were Iraqi Hinds. Maj. Lawrence Tracey, Capt. Jim Wang and 2nd Lt. Ricky Wilson were monitoring the zone when the copters were downed.