Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16062
The Army purchased this helicopter 0568
Total flight hours at this point: 00000524
Date: 01/03/1969
Incident number: 690103131ACD Accident case number: 690103131 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 1 BDE 1 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Cu Chi in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 2 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 3
costing 189769
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:
P W1 RV WALLACE
OB 1LT WHITE STANLEY DEAN KIA
Passengers and/or other participants:
HOI, PAX, G
CPT ELROD WAYMON CLAY, AR, PX, KIA
Accident Summary:
THIS AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ^LZ TRACY^ AND FLEW TWO OR THREE KILOMETERS TO A ^US NAVY SHIP^ IN THE ^SONG VAM CO DONG RIVER^. ON BOARD WERE THE PILOT AND TWO OFFICERS FROM THE SUPPORTED INFANTRY UNIT. THEIR MISSION WAS TO PICK UP A ^VIET CONG CHIEU HOI^ AND RETURN HIM TO ^LZ TRACY^. THE ^CHIEU HOI^ WAS BLINDFOLDED AND HIS HANDS TIED. HE WAS STRAPPED IN THE RIGHT REAR SEAT. THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM THE NAVAL CRAFT TO THE NORTH AND INTENTIONALLY DESCENDED TOWARDS THE WATER TO GAIN FLYING SPEED. APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 300 METERS FROM THE SHIP, WITH ABOUT 60 KNOTS FORWARD SPEED, HE ALLOWED THE RIGHT SKID TO CONTACT THE WATER. THE HELICOPTER IMMEDIATELY PLUNGED INTO THE WATER, BREAKING THE WINDSHIELD, AND SANK IMMEDIATELY. THE PASSENGER IN THE LEFT REAR SEAT FREED HIMSELF FROM THE AIRCRAFT, BUT APPARENTLY COULD NOT SWIM. HE DISAPPEARED, AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND DROWNED. THE ^CHIEU HOI^ IN THE RIGHT REAR SEAT, HIS HANDS STILL BOUND, SOMEHOW MANAGED TO FREE HIMSELF FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND SWIM TO SHORE, UNINJURED. THE PASSENGER IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT WAS PROBABLY RENDERED UNCONSCIOUS IN THE CRASH. HE WAS NOT SEEN AFTER THE CRASH UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY WHEN HIS BODY WAS FOUND DOWNSTREAM. HE HAD DROWNED. THE PILOT FREED HIMSELF FROM THE WRECKAGE AND SWAM TO SHORE. HE WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST THE OTHER PASSENGERS DUE TO HIS HEAVY CLOTHING AND HIS CHEST PROTECTOR.\\
War Story:
UTM: XT459042 Location: VAM COI DONG RIVER 4 KM SE OF HIEP HOA Airfield.
Ref: 1/8 Cav Ops Log 3690215003.pdf #45 and subsequent
ELROD was Asst Ops Officer, 1/8 Cav.
This record was last updated on 01/21/2008
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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