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
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Printed from databases on: 12/16/2016
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