Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15475
The Army purchased this helicopter 0369
Total flight hours at this point: 00000369
Date: 09/04/1969
Incident number: 690904211ACD Accident case number: 690904211 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 117 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Long Binh in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 7 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 3
costing 613178
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 CPT REITZ MICHAEL ROBERT KIA
P 1LT KLINGEN JOHN EDWARD KIA
CE SP4 STANLEY RICHARD ALLEN KIA
G SP4 BEGNOCHE REGINALD PETER KIA
OB 1LT CONNEVEY LAYNE HALE KIA
Passengers and/or other participants:
1LT CUMMINGS KENNETH THOMAS, AR, PX, KIA
1LT KLEIBER GEORGE L JR, AR, PX, KIA
Accident Summary:
THE UH-1H WAS THE C&C AIRCRAFT OPERATING WITH 3 SLICKS AND 2 GUNSHIPS WITH THE 151ST LRP TEAMS. THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST COMPLETED ITS SECOND MISSION FOR THE DAY AND REFUELED AT RED CATCHER PAD AFTER FLYING FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOURS. AFTER TAKING OFF FROM RED CATCHER PAD THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED DOWNWIND FOR LANDING AT THE 151ST LRRP PAD (LOCATED 1 MILE TO THE EAST OF RED CATCHER) AT APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 300 AGL HEADING 90 DEG. AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED ON A RIGHT BASE ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE SEPARATED FROM THE TAIL ROTOR HUB. THE PILOT NOTIFIED PLANTATION TOWER THAT HE HAD JUST LOST HIS TAIL ROTOR. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TURN RIGHT GOING INTO A YAW AND THEN SPINNING AROUND 3 TO 4 REVOLUTIONS. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS SPINNING THE ROTOR BLADES APPEARED TO SLOW DOWN AND MAST BUMPING WAS ENCOUNTERED. ABOUT THE THIRD 360 DEG TURN THE MAST SNAPPED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FELL BACKWARDS SEVERING THE TAIL BOOM. THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED SPINNING AND FELL STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. UPON CONTACT WITH THE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT BURST INTO FLAMES COMPLETELY DESTROYING ITSELF BY FIRE.\\
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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