ACFT IN FLT WHEN T/R DRIVE SHAFT COWLING CAME LOOSE & STRUCK T/R ICDT DAM \
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15237
The Army purchased this helicopter 1268
Total flight hours at this point: 00002161
Date: 10/18/1971
Incident number: 711018011ACD Accident case number: 711018011 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 176 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Chu Lai in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 3 . . Injured = 1 . . Passengers = 1
costing 445245
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 1LT BARTON ROBERT JAMESON KIA
P W1 PATE LN
CE SP4 SHELTON WESLEY STEWART KIA
G SP4 BRESLIN PATRICK JOHN KIA
Passengers:
UNK, LCO, G;
Accident Summary:
ON THE EVENING OF 17 OCTOBER 1971, AIRCRAFT UH-1H, ^SN: 68-15237^ WAS BEING FLOWN ON THE NIGHT PERIMETER MISSION FOR THE CHU LAI DEFENSE COMMANDE. THE MISSION ENTAILED FLYING AT 300 FEET MSL OR BELOW, CHECKING THE PERIMETER WITH LANDING AND SEARCH LIGHT. ^LT BARTON^ TOOK OFF AT 2230 HOURS, ALTHOUGH HE HAD ATTEMPTED TO REMAIN ON 5 MINUTE STANDBY BECAUSE HE FELT THE WEATHER WAS TOO BAD TO FLY. ARRIVING ON STATION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WEATHER WAS NOT AS BAD AS WAS BELIEVED, AND THE MISSION WAS CONTINUED. PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED AND REFUELED. AFTER ARRIVING BACK ON STATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WEATHER WAS DETERIORATING AND IT WAS DECIDED, AFTER A RADIO TRANMISSION WITH THE DIVISION TACTICAL OPERATIONS CENTER, TO RETURN TO THE AIRFIELD AND REMAIN ON 5 MINUTE STANDBY AFTER ONE MORE PATTERN AROUND THE PERIMETER. ON THE NORTHERN PERIMETER, WHICH IS BORDERED BY THE OCEAN, IT IS NECESSARY TO FLY OVER THE WATER. THEN THE AIRCRAFT REACHED THIS POINT ON THE PERIMETER, IT WAS REPORTED BY ^W1 PATE^ THAT A LOUD THUMP WAS HEARD. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER STATED, "DON'T WORRY, WE ONLY HIT A BIRD. I HIT ONE LAST NIGHT." ^W1 PATE^ LEANED TO HIS RIGHT AND LOWERED HIS HEAD TO LOOK AT THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTS TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY ABNORMAL INSTRUMENT READINGS. DURING THE TIME HE HAD HIS HEAD LOWERED, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE WATER. W1 PATE REMEMBERED THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR READING 80 KNOTS JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE CRASH WAS HEARD BY A BUNKER GUARD ON DUTY APPROXIMATELY 300 METERS FROM THE SIDE. HE REPORTED THE MISHAP TO THIS SUPERIORS, WHO IN TURN REPORTED IT TO DIVISION AND A SEARCH AND RESCUE WAS PUT INTO MOTION. TWO MEDIVAC AIRCRAFT WERE DISPATCHED ALONG WITH A FLARE SHIP. THE WEATHER WAS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AND THE WRECKAGE WAS NEVER LOCATED. THE SOLE SURVIVOR WAS NOT RESCUED UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 6 HOURS LATER, SOME 4000 METERS SOUTH OF THE CRASH SITE.\\
This record was last updated on 09/20/1998
The following is crew member information for this incident:
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15237
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 1268.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6812 0 0 3300 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6901 63 63 WAAXA0 COA 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6902 115 178 WAAXA0 COA 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6903 0 178 WAAXA0 COA 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6904 61 239 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6905 60 299 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6906 54 353 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6907 109 462 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6908 56 518 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6909 126 644 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6910 15 659 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6911 52 711 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6912 73 784 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7001 114 898 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7002 86 984 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7003 98 1082 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7004 104 1186 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7005 207 1393 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7006 126 1519 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7007 159 1678 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7008 100 1778 WAAXB0 COB 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7009 0 1778 WHB1AA 166 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7010 0 1778 W1BSAA OFC NAV RESCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ELECTRON 7011 0 1778 W1BSAA OFC NAV RESCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ELECTRON 7012 0 1778 W1BSAA OFC NAV RESCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ELECTRON 7101 0 1778 W1BSAA NAVAL AIR CTR LOAN PATUXENT AVSCOM 7102 0 1778 W1BSAA NAVAL RESEARCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ECOM 7103 0 1778 W1BSAA NAVAL RESEARCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ECOM 7104 2 1780 W1BSAA NAVAL RESEARCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ECOM 7105 0 1780 WHB1AA 166 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7106 13 1793 WHB1AA 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 7107 171 1964 WC44AA 176 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7108 99 2063 WC44AA 176 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7109 98 2161 WC44AA 176 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7110 0 2161 WC44AA 117 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
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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