Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 64-14028
The Army purchased this helicopter 0565
Total flight hours at this point: 00001226
Date: 09/06/1967
Incident number: 670906041ACD Accident case number: 670906041 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: C/2/20 ARA
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.
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
Systems damaged were: TAIL ROTOR, PERSONNEL
Casualties = 01 INJ, 01 KIA, 02 D . . Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
The helicopter Crashed. Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Burned
costing 497188
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,
73617, CASRP, STMNT, CRAFX (Operations Report. Lindenmuth Old Format Data Base. Crash Facts
Message. Casualty Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P CPT ROBINSON WINSTON TERRY KIA
CP W1 GRANT GREGORY A
CE SP4 CLARK PAUL LESLIE KIA
Passengers and/or other participants:
SP4 SINGLETON J D, AR, OG, KIA
SP4 HEMBREE JAMES VERNON, AR, OG, KIA
1LT WHEAT PRYOR L, AR, OG, KIA
Accident Summary:
While on a rocket run, the aircraft entered a flat descending spiral to the right and crashed in trees. The aircraft exploded. There was a post crash explosion of rockets due to the heat of the post crash fire. The tail rotor assembly and drive shaft separated from the aircraft in flight. It is suspected that incorrect assembly was the cause.
War Story:
I did write about an ARA bird that lost it's tail rotor and crashed and burned in the An Khe area. They were supporting us (B Troop 1/9 Cav) on an insertion.
Typically our CO Saber Six would lead the assualt followed by a pair of ARA high birds, followed by the Blue Lift Section (Huey slicks with our organic infantry platoon), accompanied with a gun team.
On this insertion, Six marked the LZ with a pair of rockets which was the signal for the ARA to prep the LZ using their 48 pairs of rockets each. The ARA on the right of the formation began firing and then began a flat turn to the right in a nose low attitude. He continued to punch off a couple of pairs of rockets. I saw his tail rotor windmilling, and he looked as if he entered autorotation (i.e. rolled the throttle off to reduce the torque, and bottomed the collective to reduce the main rotor's pitch). He descended straight down in a flat attitude and hit the trees and then bounced back up and then down.
John Flanagan, Saber Blue 37, B Troop 1/9 Cav
Three men of the blues were killed on the ground trying to help CPT Robinson get out of the helicopter when the burning helicopter caused the rocket pod to explod. Robinson was uninjured in the crash but his foot was trapped between the collapsed instrument panel and the floor.
This record was last updated on 07/19/2019
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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