Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-17012
The Army purchased this helicopter 1167
Total flight hours at this point: 00000491
Date: 12/15/1968
Incident number: 681215101ACD Accident case number: 681215101 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 498 MED
The station for this helicopter was An Son in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 2 . . Injured = 2 . . Passengers = 1
costing 313354
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 W1 TM ZINGER
P W1 RS SEBASTIAN
CE SP4 SININGER TEDDY RAY KIA
MD SP5 GAY CHARLES ELBERT KIA
Accident Summary:
ON THE NIGHT OF ^15 DECEMBER 1968,^ AT APPROXIMATELY ^1930 HRS^, A MEDEVAC CREW, STATIONED AT A FIELD LOCATION SITE-^AN KHE^- RECEIVED AN URGENT MEDEVAC REQUEST. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER CHECKED THE WEATHER AND MADE THE DECISION TO ATTEMPT THE PICK-UP SINCE THE PATIENT WAS CLASSIFIED AS URGENT. THE WEATHER WAS LISTED AS 2ST, 6-8SC, 14, VISIBILITY 3 MILES. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER RECEIVED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE OUT OF THE CONTROL ZONE. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER PROCEEDED ALONG ^HIGHWAY 19,^ VFR-NIGHT, AND ENTERED A SOLID OVERCAST IN THE VICINITY OF THE ^AN KHE^ PASS. THE TERRAIN IN THE VICINITY OF ^AN KHE^ AND THE PICK-UP ZONE IS MOUNTAINOUS WITH PEAKS TO 3500-4000 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WAS FLYING AND IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A CLIMB TO 5000 FEET. DURING THE CLIMB AT APPROXIMATELY 2800-3000 FEET, THE AC GIVES THE CONTROLS OF THE AIRCRAFT TO ^MR. SEBASTIAN,^ WHO COMPLETED THE CLIMB TO 5000 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER ESTABLISHED POSITIVE RADAR CONTACT WITH ^PHU CAT^ APPROACH CONTROL, LOCATED 19 MILES NORTHEAST OF HIS PRESENT POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER INTENDED TO SHOOT A GCA LOW APPROACH AND TRY TO REACH THE PICK-UP SITE FROM LOWER TERRAIN. AFTER POSITIVE RADAR IDENTIFICATION, ^PHU CAT^ APPROACH REQUESTED THAT ^DUSTOFF 62 (MR. ZINGER'S^ CALL SIGN) TURN TO HEADING 120. IT IS THE BOARD'S OPINION THAT ^MR. SEBASTIAN^ EXPERIENCED VESTIBULAR ILLUSIONS DURING THIS TURN. ^MR. SEBASTIAN^ REPORTS THAT HIS ATTITUDE INDICATOR IS INOPERATIVE, WHILE HIS AIRSPEED IS INCREASING BEYOND VNE. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER RESTORED THE AIRSPEED TO NORMAL CRUISE AND CAUTIONS HIS CO-PILOT TO WATCH HIS AIRSPEED. IT IS THE BOARD'S OPINION THAT ^MR. ZINGER' DECIDED TO ABORT THE MISSION DUE TO THE INCREASED DIFFICULTY OF ^MR. SEBASTIAN^S^ AIRCRAFT CONTROLABILITY AND BEING AI. UPON TERMINATION WITH ^PHU CAT^ APPROACH, ^MR. ZINGER^ TRIES TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH LUCKY GCA AT ^AN KHE^ WITHOUT REQUESTING A RADAR HAND-OFF, ^MR. ZINGER,^ HAVING HIS HEAD DOWN, CONCENTRATING ON TUNING THE RADIO, AND BEING UNABLE TO CONTACT LUCKY GCA, SUBJECTED HIMSELF TO THE CORIOLIS EFFECT. UPON LOOKING UP THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE. ^MR. ZINGER^ TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS, NOT REALIZING HE HAD VERTIGO, AND NEVER REGAINING CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, HE CRASHED.\\
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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