Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-47A tail number 64-13145
The Army purchased this helicopter 0765
Total flight hours at this point: 00000337
Date: 05/05/1967
Incident number: 670505061ACD Accident case number: 670505061 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 1 AVN DET (ARMED)
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
for Close Air Support
While in Target Area this helicopter was Attacking at UNK feet and UNK knots.
South Vietnam
Count of hits was not possible because the helicopter burned or exploded.
causing an Explosion.
Systems damaged were: PERSONNEL
Casualties = 08 DOI . . Number killed in accident = 8 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
The helicopter Crashed. Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Burned
costing 1072837
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.
Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: OPERA, LNOF,
07075, CASRP, CRAFX (Operations Report. Lindenmuth Old Format Data Base. Crash Facts
Message. Casualty Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
AC 2LT HICKS PAUL J KIA
P CW2 WEIDENBACH EDWARD JOSEPH KIA
CE SSG TALAN ARISTON R JR KIA
G SP4 RODRIGUES GARY WAYNE KIA
G SGT ARZUAGA JOAQUIN KIA
Passengers and/or other participants:
PFC MAYO PIKE POWERS, AR, G , KIA
SP4 ONEAL MELVIN JR, AR, G , KIA
PFC WHITE WILLIAM ERNEST JR, AR, G , KIA
Accident Summary:
Witnesses reported seeing an object fall from the aircraft's rear. Then the nose pitched up violently and the aircraft went into a spin. It tumbled to the earth, crashed and burned on impact. Analysis revealed the forward ball lock retaining pin on the left 20MM fell out in flight.
War Story:
This was the second Guns-a-Go-Go gunship to be lost in an accident. It was operating with the 1st Cavalry Division. during a firing run a forward mounting pin broke, causing one of the 20mm cannon to elevate and fire through the forward rotor system. the blades were destroyed and the aircraft went out of control and crashed with the loss of all on board.
from Vietnam: The Helicopter War, by Philip Chinnery.
I was flying a command and control mission in the 1st air CAV as a warrant officer. At that time, the CAV had introduced Go-Go birds ( AH47's) The Go-Go birds were part of the prep for insertion of troops. We were located along the South China Sea, operating out of LZ Uplift. It was the Bien Dien Province. The first Go -Go rolled forward and began the attack ( it was heavily armed 5 50. cals. 2 20 mm fixed forward 2.75" rockets and a 40mm grenade launcher in a turret on the nose. Early in the run I saw the front rotor blade begin to collapse upward and intermingle with the rear rotor blades. The AH-47 dropped like a stone for near 3000' and hit in the sand. It exploded for a long time with all of the ordinance they were packing. It was 2 or 3 hours before anyone dared get close to the crash site. I have vivid memories of that event and it has not faded over the years, I knew then that but for the grace of God there go I. I walked back to the UH-1D I was piloting that day with the full weight of the price of the wings we wore. p.s. first report was that they lost the rising pin on a 20mm cannon and she rose up and destroyed their front rotor.
from Ronald G. Ward, vacforeron@earthlink.net
This record was last updated on 12/10/2003
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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