sampson 22's pilots, captain paul c. alaniz, 32, and captain lyle l. gordon, 31, became disoriented in the storm and did not realize the helicopter was banking to the left when it crashed into the ground. of the four crew and 27 passengers, of which all but one were u.s. marines, all were killed. general john abizaid, commander of us troops in iraq, said the helicopter was on "a routine mission in support of the elections". the helicopter was carrying the troops to secure a polling site in preparation for the january 2005 iraqi parliamentary elections set to take place four days from the day of the crash.