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Helicopter UH-1H 66-16276

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Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16276
The Army purchased this helicopter 0467
Total flight hours at this point: 00001005
Date: 08/02/1969
Accident case number: 690802021
Unit: 254^th MED DET
The station for this helicopter was Nha Trang in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 6072
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W2 JONES D
P W1 COVERT C

Accident Summary:

ACFT on urgent medivac & was diverted to support pad to pick up tools for GND unit
to cut LZ while sitting on pad a jeep with whip antenna pulled up next to the ACFT
M/R blades hit antenna causing minor blade DMG

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16276
The Army purchased this helicopter 0467
Total flight hours at this point: 00002177
Date: 02/03/1971
Accident case number: 710203151 Total loss or fatality Accident Unit: 92 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Dong Ba Thin in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 7 . . Passengers = 3
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 LATER DE
P X1 BE TV
CE E4 CESSAN NB
G E4 ARMSTRONG D

Passengers:
, PAX, D;
, PAX, D;
, PAX, D;

Accident Summary:

ON 3 FEB 71, AT 0700 HOURS, ARMY AIRCRAFT UH-1H, SN: 66-16276 DEPARTED DONG BA THIN FOR
A RE-SUPPLY MISSION WITH THE 29TH ROK REGIMENT. AT 1200 HOURS THE CREW SHUTDOWN FOR LUNCH
AT NINH HOA. AT 1530 THEY DEPARTED NINH HOA WITH CARGO AND PASSENGERS CONSISTING OF 20 CASES
OF C-RATIONS, 3 FIVE GALLON WATER CANS, AND 3 KOREANS. 2LT BE, VNAF FLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO THE
LZ AT AN ALTITUDE OF 300 FEET INDICATED. SINCE THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME INTO THE LZ, A HIGH
RECONNAISSANCE WAS MADE FOLLOWED BY A LEFT DESCENDING TURN TO INITIATE THE APPROACH. THE
KOREANS ON THE GROUND "POPPED" SMOKE WHICH INDICATED THE WINDS WERE CALM IN THE LZ. ON FINAL
LT. BE HAD NOT LOST SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE PRIOR TO REACHING THE LZ, NECESSITATING A VERTICAL
DESCENT. STOPPING ALL FORWARD MOTION AT 100-150' AND WITHOUT STABILIZING AT HOVER, LT BE
CONTINUED A DESCENT TO THE LZ BY REDUCING COLLECTIVE. DURING THIS DESCENT THE SINK RATE
BECAME EXCESSIVE. REALIZING THE SINK RATE WAS HIGH, LT BE APPLIED COLLECTIVE TO SLOW THEDESCENT.
THE FAST DESCENT STILL CONTINUED AND THE ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DETERIORATE. THE LOW RPM AUDIO CAME
ON AS WO1 LATER THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, TOOK THE CONTROLS. STILL DESCENDING AND WITH 5700 RPM,
THE AC PULLED THE REMAINING COLLECTIVE PITCH TO CUSHION THE LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT HIT HARD IN
A LEVEL ATTITUDE AND BOUNCED ABOUT 4 FEET STARTING A 180 TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT HIT
THE GROUND A SECOND TIME APPROXIMATELY 90 TO THE ORIGINAL FLIGHT PATH. IT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT
DOWN A 30 ROCK SLOPE TEARING OFF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED 11/2 TIMES AND
CAME TO REST INVERTED IN A RELATIVELY LEVEL AREA. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN SO THE AC
SHUT OFF THE FUEL. HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE FLIGHT IDLE DETENT RELEASE SO THE ENGINE
RAN FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS UNTIL FUEL STARVATION. THE AC MADE A "MAYDAY" CALL, COMPLETED
SHUTDOWN, AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT AND THE REST OF THE CREW IMMEDIATELY LEFT
THE AIRCRAFT FOR FEAR OF FIRE. ONE KOREAN PASSENGER HAD HIS LEGS PINNED UNDER THE
AIRCRAFT. SEVERAL KOREAN SOLDIERS CAME TO THE CRASH SIGHT AND HELPED THE CREW RAISE
THE AIRCRAFT UNTIL THE TRAPPED KOREAN COULD BE FREE. THE EXTENT OF INJURY TO THE
KOREAN PASSENGER IS UNKNOWN. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT BURN AND DID NOT HAVE CRASH WORTHY
FUEL CELLS. A KOREAN COMPANY PROVIDED SECURITY FOR THE AIRCRAFT.\\

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16276
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 0467.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.