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Helicopter UH-1H 67-17278

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Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17278

The Army purchased this helicopter 0268
Total flight hours at this point: 00002640
Date: 10/14/1970
Accident case number: 701014121 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 134^th AHC
The station for this helicopter was Phu Hiep in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 244345
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
P W1 PRICE JW
CP W1 SMITH DJ

Passengers:
FLT LEADER, FCO, G;

Accident Summary:

ON 14 OCTOBER 1970 AT APPROXIMATELY 1340 HOURS WO1 PRICE AND WO1 
SMITH WERE CHALK 5 IN A FLIGHT OF SEVEN THAT WAS READY FOR TAKE 
OFF FROM THE CHEO REO AIRSTRIP. AS THE LEAD ELEMENTS OF THE 
FLIGHT DEPARTED, CHALK 7, WHO HAD BEEN FLYING TRAIL ALL DAY, 
SIGNALED FOR CHALK 6 AND CHALK 5 TO PASS ON THE LEFT AND ALLOW 
CHALK 7 TO AGAIN FLY TRAIL. AT THIS POINT CHALK 5 CAME TO A HOVER 
AND BEGAN MOVING LEFT AND FORWARD AROUND CHALK 6. AT THIS TIME 
CHALK 6, PILOTED BY WO1 WILSON AND WO1 THOMAS, CAME TO A HOVER. 
WO1 SMITH, IN CHALK 5, WAS ON THE CONTROLS AND MOVING TO THE LEFT 
SIDE OF CHALK 6. THE PILOT-IN CHARGE OF CHALK 5 OVSERVED CHALK 6 
COME TO A HOVER AND MOVE LEFT IN THE DIRECTION OF THIS AIRCRAFT. 
WO1 PRICE, BELIEVING A MIDAIR WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR BETWEEN CHALKS 6 
AND 5 TOOK THE CONTROLS AND DECELERATED THE AIRCRAFT. HE WAS 
UNALBE TO MOVE FARTHER TO THE LEFT BECAUSE OF TROOPS ON HIS LEFT. 
THE COMBINATION OF THE EXCESSIVE DECELERATION AND THE ROTOR WASH 
FROM CHALK 6 CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ASSUME AN EXTREMELY NOSE 
HIGH-TAIL LOW ATTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN THE TAIL ROTOR OF CHALK 
5 MAKING CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY WITH SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF THE TAIL 
ROTOR AND 90 GEARBOX FROM THE AIRCRAFT. UPON LOSS OF ANTI-TORQUE 
CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT MADE TWO COMPLETE TURNS TO THE RIGHT AND 
LANDED HARD WITH DAMAGE TO THE SKIDS, CROSS TUBES AND 
UNDERCARRIAGE. UPON OBSERVING THE ACCIDENT OCCURRING CHALK 6 TOOK 
OFF TO THE RIGHT AND WAS NOT DAMAGED IN THE ACCIDENT.

War Story:
Although this helicopter was written off because of this incident, it was later rebuilt and returned to service

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17278
The Army purchased this helicopter 0268
Total flight hours at this point: 00002878
Date: 07/11/1971
Accident case number: 710711021
Unit: 117^th AHC
The station for this helicopter was Long Binh in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 2000
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 HERRING TP

Accident Summary:
AT A HOVER, TAIL ROTOR FAILED. PERFORMED AUTOROTATION. TAIL BLADE STRUCK BARB WIRE CAUSING INCIDENT DAMAGE.\\

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17278
The Army purchased this helicopter 0268
Total flight hours at this point: 00003437
Date: 720300
Unit: 165 TC CO
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XT781729
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: VNAF (South Vietnamese Air Force. )
Loss to Inventory

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17278

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 0268.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.