ACFT T/R STRUCK SMALL TREE ON SHORT FINAL TO LZ RESULTING IN ICDT DMG \
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16837
The Army purchased this helicopter 0967
Total flight hours at this point: 00002091
Date: 06/08/1970
Accident case number: 700608231 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 176 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Chu Lai in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 194530
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
AC O2 GROSS JC
P W1 GRAY SL
CE E5 WHITTLE PD
G E4 MCCLOUD JW
Accident Summary:
ON THE MORNING OF 8 JUNE 1970 AT APPROXIMATELY 0600 HOURS, AIRCRAFT 837 AND 592 DEPARTED THE 176TH ASSAULT HELICOPTER COMPANY FOR A COMBAT ASSAULT WITH SIX OTHER AIRCRAFT FROM ANOTHER COMPANY WITHIN THE BATTALION. THE RIGHT AIRCRAFT THEN FLEW A 20 MINUTE FORMATION FLIGHT FROM CHU LAI TO HAWK HILL. THE FLIGHT SHUT DOWN UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 0810 HOURS WHEN THEY DEPARTED TO THE WEST FOR A COMBAT ASSAULT CONSISTING OF TWO LIFTS. THEIR MISSION WAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED AT 0945 HOURS AND THEY WERE RETURNING TO HAWK HILL. WHEN THE FORMATION FLIGHT WAS WITHIN THREE (3) MILES OF HAWK HILL, THE FLIGHT LEADER RELEASED AIRCRAFT 837 AND 592 TO RETURN TO THEIR HOM BASE IN CHU LAI. AIRCRAFT 592 COMMANDED BY 1LT DUNN, TOOK THE LEAD AND DESCENDED TO 200 FEET ALTITUDE. HE HEADED EAST THEN SOUTEAST FOLLOWING THE HIGHWAY WHICH RUNS FROM HAWK HILL TO CHU LAI. HE MAINTAINED 200 FEET ALTITUDE AND AN INDICATED AIRSPEED OF 90 KNOTS. 1LT GROSS IN AIRCRAFT 837 CONTACTED 592 TO INFORM HIM THAT HE HAD LOST SIGHT OF HIM IN THE SUN AND HE WAS MAKING A 360 DEGREE LEFT TURN IN AN ATTEMPT TO RELOCATE HIM. 1LT GROSS MADE TWO (2) 360 DEGREE TURNS BEFORE SPOTTING LT DUNN. UPON GETTING A GOOD FIX ON 592, LT GROSS MAINTAINED 200 FEET ALTITUDE AND ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 115 KNOTS IN AN EFFORT TO CATCH LT DUNN WHO WAS ROUGHLY TWO MILES AHEAD OF HIM. AS LT GROSS REDUCED THE DISTANCE BETWEEN HIS AIRCRAFT AND 592, HE CONTACTED LT DUNN TO INFORM HIM THAT HE WAS COMING UP ON HIS RIGHT WING. APPROXIMATELY 100 METERS FROM THE LEAD AIRCRAFT HE NOTICED HIS RATE OF CLOSURE WAS TOO FAST AND HE INITIATED A DECELERATIVE MANEUVER TO REDUCE HIS FORWARD AIRSPEED. A FEW SECONDS LATER, BOTH CREWS HEARD A LOUD CRACKING NOISE RESULTING FROM THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE TIPS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT MAKING CONTACT. BOTH AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED SEVERE VIBRATIONS AND WERE IMMEDIATELY LANDED WITH POWER AND WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGE. DUE TO THE TORN MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND SUDDEN DECELERATIVE FORCE ON THE TRANSMISSION, BOTH AIRCRAFT REQUIRED MAJOR COMPONENT CHANGES IN ACCORDANCE WITH TM 55-1520-210-20, REFERENCE SUDDEN STOPPAGE INSPECTION, CHAPTER 3, SECTION UU. (SEE TAB 4)\\
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16837
The Army purchased this helicopter 0967
Total flight hours at this point: 00002336
Date: 09/27/1970
Unit: 176 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was UNK
for Air/land Assault , Hot Area.
While on Landing Zone this helicopter was Landing at 0150 feet and 090 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 2 hits from:
Explosive Weapon; Non-Artillery launched or static weapons containing explosive charges. (RPG)
The helicopter was hit in the Bottom
Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft was diverted prior to accomplishing any mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the
incident was created or updated:
Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis
Center Helicopter database. Also: LNNF, JSIDR
(Lindenmuth New Format Data Base. Joint Services
Incident Damage Report. )
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16837
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 0967.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6709 8 8 9221 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6710 0 8 9221 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6711 0 8 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6712 0 8 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6801 0 8 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6802 0 8 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6803 0 8 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6804 0 8 9221 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6805 0 8 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6806 3 11 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6807 72 83 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6808 128 211 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6809 165 376 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6810 145 521 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6811 116 637 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6812 157 794 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6901 105 899 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6902 39 938 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6903 31 969 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6904 19 988 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6905 20 1008 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6906 14 1022 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6907 0 1022 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6908 90 1112 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6909 98 1210 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 6910 163 1373 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 6911 86 1459 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 6912 111 1570 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7001 70 1640 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7002 104 1744 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7003 103 1847 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7004 100 1947 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7005 102 2049 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7006 42 2091 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7007 52 2143 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7008 111 2254 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7009 82 2336 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7010 72 2408 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7011 41 2449 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 7012 0 2449 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 7101 0 2449 W1BSAA NAVAL AIR CTR LOAN PATUXENT AVSCOM 7102 0 2449 W1BSAA NAVAL RESEARCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ECOM 7103 0 2449 W1BSAA NAVAL RESEARCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ECOM 7104 0 2449 W1BSAA NAVAL RESEARCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ECOM 7105 1 2450 W1BSAA NAVAL RESEARCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ECOM 7106 0 2450 108TH DIV TNG 3RD ARMY CHARLOTTE RESV
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870
Printed from databases on: 08/09/1999
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