Accident Summary:
ON THE MORNING OF 1 MARCH 1970, LT BUECHE FLEW AIRCRAFT 333 FOR 03.15 ON THREE (3) LOCAL COMBAT ASSAULTS. IN THE AFTERNOON THE AIRCRAFT HAD A CHANGE OF PILOTS AND WAS FLOWN FOR 02:30 ON ADMINISTRATIVE FLIGHTS BETWEEN CHU-LAI AND DA NANG. DURING THE POST FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER NOTICED A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF PLAY IN ONE OF THE SCISSORS LEVER BEARINGS. AN APPROPRIATE ENTRY WAS MADE ON THE 2408-13. ABOUT 2010 HOURS, THE COMPANY'S PRIMARY FLARE SHIP COULD NOT ADEQUATELY SUPPORT IT'S ASSIGNED MISSION AND THE SECONDARY FLARE SHIP WAS REQUESTED. LT BUECHE AS OPERATIONS OFFICER, ASSIGNED AND ATTEMPTED TO FLY AIRCRAFT 333 AS THE SECONDARY FLARE SHIP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS STARTED WITH ONE OF THE SCISSORS REMOVED FOR MAINTENANCE. WHEN LT BUECHE PULLED THE STARTER TRIGGER, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES BEGAN TO TURN AND AS THE ENGINE APPROACHED FLIGHT IDLE, A SEVERE IMBALANCE IN THE ROTOR HEAD WAS CREATED WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED FOUR OR FIVE TIMES, ABOUT A FOOT INTO THE AIR EACH TIME, WHICH CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR TO FLEX DOWN AND SEVER THE TAIL BOOM JUST AFT OF THE SYNCHRONIZED ELEVATOR. (SEE PHOTO TAB 9) IMMEDIATE ANTI-TORQUE FAILURE OCCURRED AND THE AIRCRAFT YAWED 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT CAUSING THE TAIL BOOM TO STRIKE THE REVETMENT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THIS POSITION. (SEE PHOTO) LT BUECHE COMPLETED EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN PROCEDURES AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT.\\
Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1 tail number 68-15333
The Army purchased this helicopter 0169
Total flight hours at this point: 00001757
Date: 09/22/1970
Unit: 176 AHC
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YD330272
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15333
The Army purchased this helicopter 0169
Total flight hours at this point: 00001828
Date: 10/18/1970
Accident case number: 701018031 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 176 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Chu Lai in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: BT424039
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 7 . . Passengers = 7
costing 244345
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 W2 CULLER DR
P O2 SHELLENBERGER WJ
CE E5 AYLES RL
G E4 HILL JS
Passengers:
WILLIAMS, PAX, D;
COCHRIN, PAX, D;
SHAW, PAX, D;
DAY, PAX, D;
MIDGETT, PAX, D;
SCHREIBER, PAX, D;
FERGUSON, PAX, D;
Accident Summary:
ON THE MORNING OF 18 OCTOBER 1970 AT APPROXIMATELY 0645 HOURS, AIRCRAFT 68-15333 DEPARTED CHU LAI EAST FOR RESUPPLY MISSIONS SUPPORTING B COMPANY, 5TH BATTALION, 46TH INFANTRY. THE FIRST SORTIE OF THE DAY WAS FLOWN BY THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WITHOUT INCIDENT AND INTO THE SAME LZ IN WHICH THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE CREW THEN RETRRNED TO CHU LAI FOR THEIR SECOND LOAD OF PASSENGERS (7) AND RESUPPLY. WITH LT SHELLENBERGER AT THE CONTROLS, THEY RETURNED TO THE SAME LZ, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY A TEN (10) MINUTE FLIGHT. ON SHORT FINAL TO THE LZ AND AS THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO TERMINATE TO A 5-10 FOOT HOVER, THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO BLEED OFF AND THE LOW RPM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO TRUN TO THE RIGHT AS CW2 CULLER TOOK THE CONTROLS. THE AIRCRAFT MEMENTARILY TOUCHED DOWN ON ONE SKID AND CONTINUED TO PIVOT TO THE RIGHT. THE AC APPLIED FULL LEFT PEDAL BY THE AIRCRAFT CONINUED TO TURN AND SOME PASSENGERS JUMPED FROM THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING FURTHER CONTROL INSTABILITY. THE AC THEN ATTEMPTED TO SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO BECAUSE OF THE UNEVEN TERRAIN. AT ABOUT THE 180 DEGREE POINT, HE ATTEMPTED TO TAKE-OFF PARALLEL TO HIS APPROACH AXIS AND DOWN SLOPE. ON HIS TAKE-OFF, THE TAIL BOOM OR STINGER SWUNG TO THE LEFT AND STRUCK THE SIDE OF THE HILL ADJACENT TO HIS INTENDED TAKE-OFF PATH. THE SUDEEN JOLT FURTHER AGGRAVATED THE ALREADY UNSTABLE CONDITION AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT MAKING MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND COMING TO REST ON IT'S RIGHT SIDE. NONE OF THE FLIGHT CREW WERE INJURED, HOWEVER, THE SEVEN PASSENGERS ALL RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15333
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 0169.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6901 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 6902 19 19 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6903 166 185 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6904 120 305 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6905 64 369 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6906 55 424 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6907 53 477 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6908 24 501 WC44AA 176 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6909 24 525 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 6910 151 676 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 6911 61 737 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 6912 92 829 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7001 130 959 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7002 67 1026 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7003 6 1032 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7004 175 1207 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7005 157 1364 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7006 102 1466 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7007 79 1545 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7008 119 1664 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7009 93 1757 WC44AA 176 AHC AMDV VIETNAM RVN 7010 71 1828 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 7011 0 1828 WE4HAA 142 TC DS 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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