Helicopter UH-1H 67-17342

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17342
The Army purchased this helicopter 0368
Total flight hours at this point: 00000633
Date: 12/17/1968
Accident case number: 681217281 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 281 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Nha Trang in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 5 . . Passengers = 7
costing 228554
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:
P W1 STOWE DR
CP W1 STANFILL BL
CE E5 ROESNER DG
G E4 WOLFE J

Passengers:
 CIV HA TON, PAX, D; CIV KALONG, PAX, D; UNK, PAX, G; UNK, PAX, G; UNK, PAX, G; UNK, PAX, G; UNK, PAX, G;


Accident Summary:

 AIRCRAFT WAS SHUTTLING PASSENGERS AND SUPPLIES BETWEEN TWO CAMPS IN THE ^DALAT^ AREA. AT APPROXIMATELY ^1600^ HOURS, THE AIRCRAFT REFUELED AT ^DALAT CAM LY^ AIRFILED. AFTER REFUELING WAS COMPLETED, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FOR A ^MACV CAMP^ NORTH OF ^DALAT^, LOCATED AT COORDINATES ^BP 192283^. AT THIS LOCATION THE AIRCRAFT TOOK ON A CARGO OF METAL FENCE PICKETS AND SEVEN PASSENGERS. THE PASSENGERS, ALL ^VIETNAMESE^ CIVILIANS INCLUDED TWO ADULTS, THREE CHILDREN AND TWO BABIES. THE GUNNER AND THE CREW CHIEF, ALONG WITH AN AMERICAN SERGEANT, LOADED THE AIRCRAFT AND PLACED THE STAKES UNDER THE BACK SEATS AND BEHIND THE JUMP SEATS. THE SERGEANT HAD ALLEGEDLY STATED TO THE CREW CHIEF THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE STAKES WAS FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS. THE PASSENGERS WERE ALL STRAPPED IN THE AIRCRAFT WITH SEAT BELTS. AFTER LOADING THE AIRCRAFT, THE GUNNER AND CREW CHIEF BOARDED THE AIRCRAFT AND STRAPPED IN WITH THEIR SEAT BELTS. THE COPILOT WAS AT THE CONTROLS AT THIS TIME. HE BROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT TO A HOVER AND COMPLETED A HOVER CHECK. THE ENGINE RPM WAS AT 6600 AND HOLDING STEADY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PULLING 39 POUNDS OF TORQUE. THE COPILOT THEN HOVERED FROM THE HELIPAD TO THE TOP OF THE HILL, THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FROM THE TOP OF THE HILL HEADED IN A SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF BOTH THE PILOT AND COPILOT NOTICED A LOSS OF ROTOR RPM. THE CP ATTEMPTED TO BUILD RPM BY PARTIALLY REDUCING THE COLLECTIVE AND BY PLACING THE AIRCRAFT IN A SLIGHT NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. AT THIS TIME THE PILOT SAID, "I'VE GOT IT," AND TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. A QUICK GLANCE AT THE INSTRUMENTS BY BOTH PILOTS SHOWED THE ENGINE RPM AT 6000. THE PILOT IN COMMAND PLACED THE AIRCRAFT INTO A DIVE IN A FURTHER ATTEMPT TO BUILD RPM. A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN WAS MADE IN THE DIVE IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THE CONTOURS OF THE VALLEY IN WHICH THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOW FLYING. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN VIBRATING VIOLENTLY. ON COMMAND FROM THE PILOT, BOTH THE GUNNER AND CREW CHIEF UNFASTENED THEIR SEAT BELTS AND BEGAN THROWING THE STAKES OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT IN AN ATTEMPP TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD. THE PILOT GAVE WARNING THAT A CRASH WAS IMMINENT. THE PILOT TRIED TO MAKE A FIELD TO HIS LEFT FRONT. THE FIELD WAS BORDERED ON THE RIGHT BY A CREEK AND FOUR-FOOT HIGH DIKE. TO THE IMMEDIATE FRONT WAS A SMALL CABBAGE PATCH AND SURROUNDING FENCE. THE FIELD ITSELF HAD SMALL ONE-FOOT HIGH DIKES RUNNING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF IT. JUST BEFORE IMPACT THE COPILOT TOOK THE CYCLIC AND ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE AIRCRAFT INTO A FLARE. HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO HELP THE PILOT IN COLTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE TOP OF THE DIKE AT AN ESTIMATED 60 KNOTS. IT CLIPPED THE TOP OF THE FENCE AND BOUNCED INTO THE AIR. IT AGAIN HIT THE GROUND SOME THIRTY FEET FROM THE FIRST POINT OF IMPACT IN A NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE CANTED TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN CARTWHEELING, ROLLING OVER AT LEAST ONCE AND POSSIBLE TWICE. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE FLEXED DOWN AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM HALF WAY UP. THE ROTOR HEAD AND BLADES THEN SEPARATED FROM THE MAST. BOTH SKIDS WERE TORN FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE FROM THE PATH OF FLIGHT.\\


The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17342
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 0368.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

 
DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
196803   0    0 3300   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY  
196804  58   58 3410   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM       
196805  35   93 3410   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY   
196806  70  163 3410   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY    
196807 112  275 3410   OPM SEA NITEOPS  1ST ARMY   FORT BELVOIR     AMC              
196808  93  368 3410   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
196809 108  476 3410   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
196810  66  542 3410   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
196811  51  593 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN      
196812  40  633 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     


Please send additions or corrections to:

Gary Roush


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Printed from databases on: 12/16/2016

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