Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15631
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00000156
Date: 08/06/1969
Incident number: 690806261ACD Accident case number: 690806261 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 120 CAC
South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 5 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 455945
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 CW2 HOWARD ROBERT BAILEY KIA
P WO1 NELSON SCOTT THOMAS KIA
CE SP4 FELTY ROY LEE KIA
G SP4 NORTH MICHAEL WALTER KIA
Passengers and/or other participants:
SSG GRASSER ARTHUR, AF, PX, KIA
Accident Summary:
THE CREW WAS ASSIGNED A MISSION, BEGINNING AT 1345 HOURS, AS CHASE SHIP FOR TWO UH-1 AIRCRAFT TRANSPORTING VIP'S FROM MILITARY ASSISTANCE COMMAND, VIETNAM. UPON THE DEPARTURE OF THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT FROM HOTEL 3 TO RAZORBACK HELIPAD TO JOIN THE TWO TIP AIRCRAFT, NO PASSENGERS WERE OBSERVED TO BE ABOARD. HOWEVER; A CREW-MEMBER OF ONE OF THE AIRCRAFT TRANSPORTING VIP'S INFORMED TEE BOARD THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL, ATTIRED IN AN AIR FORCE FLIGHT SUIT, ABOARD THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WHILE ON THE GROUND AT RAZORBACK HELIPAD. ALL AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE HELIPAD AT 1400 HOURS AND ONCE AGAIN, A PASSENGER WAS NOT OBSERVED OR MANIFESTED ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT. THE FIRST LANDING, 1410 HOURS, WAS MADE BY THE TWO AIRCRAFT TRANSPORTING VIP'S AT THE THU DUC CORPS TRAINING CENTER WITH INSTRUCTIONS THAT THE CHASE SHIP WAS NOT TO LAND. WHILE WAITING FOR THE MISSION TO CONTINUE, THE CHASE SHIP REMAINED IN THE VICINITY OF THE TRAINING CENTER. AT ONE POINT, 8.6 MILES SOUTH THE TRAINING CENTER, THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED FLYING IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION DOWN THE SAIGON RIVER, APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL. WITNESSES STATED THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED FLYING DOWN THE RIVER IN LEVEL FLIGHT AND JUST PRIOR TO STRIKING THE WIRES THAT CROSS THE RIVER, THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN ABRUPT NOSE HIGH CHANGE IN ATTITUDE. AFTER STRIKING THE WIRE, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN FALLING APART AND THE FUSELAGE INVERTED AND FELL INTO THE RIVER 250 YARDS DOWNSTREAM. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE (WHITE) WAS SEVERED AND THROWN THROUGH THE AIR AND EVENTUALLY STRUCK A LIFE BOAT ABOARD S.S. JAPAN BEAR, 175 YARDS DOWNSTREAM. PORTIONS OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE, UHF ANTENNA AND OTHER ARTICLES ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT (3 HELMETS, MAP CASE AND HELMET BAG) FLOATED ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER AND WERE RECOVERED. THE FUSELAGE SANK IN 60 FEET OF WATER.\\
This record was last updated on 09/20/1998
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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