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Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16368
The Army purchased this helicopter 0567
Total flight hours at this point: 00001612
Date: 08/19/1969
Accident case number: 690819281 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 134 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Tuy Hoa in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 1 . . Passengers = 0
costing 244345
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
AC W1 SCHADE WJ
P W1 JAMES PE
G E3 PAINE GW
Accident Summary:
AIRCRAFT WAS ON A NORMAL RESUPPLY MISSIN FOR THE CAPITOL ROK INF DIV., RESUPPLYING A CAV UNIT SOUTH OF THE AN KHE PASS. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT WO1 JAMES HAD BEEN INTO THIS AREA ON THIS TYPE OF MISSION SO THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER DECIDED TO TAKE THE FIRST LOAD IN. THE CARGO WAS PICKED UP AT BINH KHE. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER THEN MADE AN EASTERLY DEPARTURE THEN MADE A SLOW 180 DEG TURN AND FLEW DOWN THE VALLEY. THIS ROUTE WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE OF FRIENDLY ARTY FIRING TO THE WEST. ONCE OVER THE AREA THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER MADE A DESCENDING TURN, IDENTIFIED SMOKE, AND HE THEN NOTICED THE LZ WAS TOO SMALL AND MOVED TO AN ALTERNATE LZ. THE ALTERNATE LZ WAS ON THE SIDE OF A STEEP HILL WITH A SLOPE OF ABOUT 45-50 DEG AND COVERED WITH ELEPHANT GRASS APPROXIMATELY 8-10 FEET HIGH. THE CARGO WAS UNLOADED FROM A 12 FOOT HOVER AND THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED. THE SECOND FLIGHT WAS MADE BY WO1 JAMES IN THE SAME MANNER. IT WAS NOTED AT TAKEOFF THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS HOVERING WITH 35# N2 AND 95% N1. WO1 JAMES BROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT TO A 12 FOOT HOVER IN THE LZ, HOWEVER THE KOREAN PERSONNEL ON BOARD DID NOT UNLOAD THE AIRCRAFT. MR. SCHADE TURNED AROUND TO TELL THE KOREANS THAT THIS WAS THE SAME LZ AND TO SUPERVISE THE UNLOADING. APPROXIMATELY 15 SECONDS AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A HOVER IN THE LZ THE RPM STARTED TO BLEED. AT THIS TIME MR. JAMES DECIDED TO TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER TURNED AROUND AND NOTICED THAT HIS PILOT HAD IN FULL LEFT PEDAL AND WUS PULLING IN POWER WITH BLEEDING RPM. HE TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AS THE RPM DROPPED BELOW 6000 AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A 270 DEGREE TURN BEFORE THE TAIL CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN BREAKING THE TAIL BOOM OFF OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND ROLLING ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. ALTHOUGH TEE GUNNER WAS STRAPPED IN, HE WAS THROWN FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO BURN AS EVERYONE EXITED.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16368
It is provided here as an ESTIMATE of the history of this helicopter
and is not intended to be the final authority.
This helicopter was purchased by the US Army in 0567.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6705 16 16 2425 ARMY AVN DIV 6TH ARMY DUGWAY PG TEVALCOM 6706 25 41 2425 USARV FLT DET VIETNAM RVN 6707 25 66 2425 USARV FLT DET VIETNAM RVN 6708 37 103 2425 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6709 0 103 2425 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6710 0 103 2425 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6711 1 104 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6712 0 104 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6801 67 171 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6802 60 231 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6803 118 349 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6804 102 451 3278 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6805 150 601 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6806 76 677 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6807 42 719 3278 OPM SEA NITEOPS 1ST ARMY FORT BELVOIR AMC 6808 47 766 3278 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6809 60 826 3278 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6810 8 834 WCLMAA 56 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6811 0 834 WCLMAA 56 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6812 0 834 WCLMAA 56 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6901 88 922 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6902 54 976 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6903 116 1092 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6904 164 1256 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6905 126 1382 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6906 120 1502 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6907 110 1612 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6908 0 1612 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN
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