Helicopter UH-34D 149380


Information on U.S. Marine Corps helicopter UH-34D tail number 149380
Date: 02/17/1966
Incident number: 66021717.KIA
Unit: HMM-163
South Vietnam
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

Crew Members:
G CPL HEBERT CALVIN RAYMOND JR KIA
CE SGT ANDERSON

Passengers and/or other participants:
2LT LEATHERWOOD WILLIAM E JR, AR, PX, KIA


War Story:
I had just landed on the runway at Phu Bai when I noticed an H-34 which had just departed to the south coming back down rapidly. The rotor blades were coning and rotor RPM was deteriorating. It crashed hard at about mid-runway and rolled to the left and burst into flame. I instructed my crew chief to push the army officers we were transporting out, after which I flew forward and landed on the left side of the burning helicopter, first on the scene. My crew, including co-pilot, exited and tried to assist survivors. I lifted into a hover and moved on top of the burning ship to try to beat down the flames. I remained there until the crash crew was on scene and the M-60 ammo began to cook off.

I later heard that the accident was caused by a ratchet type situation. When the co-pilot reduced mixture from full rich to normal, the fuel supply actually went to cut-off. The pilots and crew chief survived. The only other fatality was an army 2nd lt. passenger. They probably got to about 300' before the power loss. I think they all got out on their own. Submitted by Norm Urban, HMM-163

Cpl Hebert, HMM 163, early summer 1966 (Lt. Col. House was CO) Hue Phu Bai. Aircraft took off, at 52" mixture was pulled back to normal, engine quit, aircraft crashed. Crew received bad burns. Crew Chief - Sgt Anderson, gunner- Cpl Hebert Med. Evac. Cpl Hebert died of burns stateside. I believe in Naval Hospital San Francisco or Oakland area.

Submitted by John Greshle, HMM-163

I have some personal information associated with the crash of the subject Helicopter. At the time of this crash I was a SP5 in the U.S Army assigned to the 10th Radio Research Unit (10th RRU) which was attached to the 1st Air Cavalry Division. The 10th RRU was located at Ahn Khe. During February of 1966 I was on a currier run which took me from Ahn Khe to Saigon to Nha Trang and finally to Phu Bai. On the 17th of February I caught a hop from Nha Trang to Phu Bai, left off a packet of material and picked up a packed which was needed by my unit in Ahn Khe. My mode of travel for this mission was to go out to an air strip, find out if anyone was flying in my direction and, if so, try to get a lift. At Phu Bai, I was looking for a ride back to Nha Trang and talked my way onto the subject Helicopter. I was already on the Helicopter waiting for take-off when 2nd Lt Leatherwood came on board and informed me that he was pulling rank and that I would have to get off. 2nd Lt Leatherwood had with him significant cargo which, along with himself would push the available load capacity of the craft.

I was rather steamed as I stood at the edge of the runway watching the Helicopter take off, rise, pause, fall back to the runway, crash and burning. I saw several people jump from the crew compartment. I found a safe to store my material, and some Heineken to sooth my nerves. The next day, I reluctantly looked for a replacement ride, avoiding all helicopters.

From: James A. Sleeth

This record was last updated on 07/20/2009


This information is available on CD-ROM.

Additional information is available on KIAs at http://www.coffeltdatabase.org

Please send additions or corrections to: The VHPA Webmaster Gary Roush.

KIA statistics

Return to the KIA name list

Return to the KIA panel date index

Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023


Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association