Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-15032
The Army purchased this helicopter 0267
Total flight hours at this point: 00001344
Date: 09/08/1969
Incident number: 690908231ACD Accident case number: 690908231 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 117 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Long Binh in
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 2
costing 294128
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
AC W2 JG MILLS
P W1 PP MURASKA
CE E4 LW STANTON
G SP4 BROOKS AMBROSE H JR KIA
Passengers and/or other participants:
, MCO, G
, FCO, G
Accident Summary:
AT APPROXIMATELY 0255 HOURS ON THE MORNING OF 8 SEP 69 A SCRAMBLE WAS CALLED BY THE BIEN HOA TACTICAL OPERATIONS CENTER TO THE 117TH OPERATIONS. THE FIRE-FLY TEAM ON A FIVE MINUTE STAND-BY WAS NOTIFIED THAT AN MP HAD FALLEN OFF A BARGE NORTH OF THE LONG BINH RIVER BRIDGE. OTHER THAN ESSENTIAL INFORMATION AS TO CALL SIGNS, FREQUENCIES AND LOCATION, THE DETAILED CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE INCIDENT WERE UNKNOWN. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE LOCATION, COMMUNICATION WAS MADE WITH THE PATROL BOATS WORKING IN THE AREA AND IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE MP HAD BEEN IN THE WATER FOR APPROXIMATELY 50 MINUTES AND THE CURRENTS WERE APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 15 KNOTS. THE 117TH AVN CO'S SOP STATES THAT THE FIRE-FLY TEAM WILL CONSIST OF TWO UH-1C AND ONE UH-1H. THE THREE AIRCRAFT ON THIS TYPE OF MISSION FLY IN A STACKED FORMATION. THE AIR MISSION COMMANDER FLYS AT THE HIGHEST ALTITUDE AND ACTS AS A C&C SHIP. THE LIGHT SHIP AND "LOW SHIP" COORDINATE TOGETHER AS TO ALTITUDES AND METHODS OF SEARCH, DEPENDING ON THE TACTICAL SITUATION. IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION THE AIR MISSION COMMANDER WAS ABOVE THE TWO UH-1C'S AND DIRECTED THE LIGHT SHIP TO THE LOCATION WHERE THE MP FELL INTO THE RIVER. THE LIGHT SHIP DESCENDED TO A WORKING ALTITUDE OF 200 FEET AND STARTED MAKING RIGHT 360 DEG TURNS OVER THIS AREA WORKING HIS WAY WITH THE CURRENT, SOUTH, TOWARDS THE BRIDGE. APPROXIMATELY 100 METERES BEFORE REACHING THE BRIDGE THE LIGHT SHIP TOOK UP A HEADING WHICH WOULD ALLOW HIM TO CROSS THE BRIDGE AT A RIGHT ANGLE. AT THIS TIME THE PILOT OF THE LOW SHIP SAID "HARD RIGHT" OVER THE UHF. IMMEDIATELY AIRCRAFT 66-15032 MADE A SHARP RIGHT TURN. AT APPROXIMATELY 30 DEG INTO HIS TURN HIS TAIL ROTOR APPARENTLY HIT THE HIGH TENSION POWER LINES CROSSING THE RIVER. AT THE TIME OF THE STRIKE THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A HARD RIGHT BANK WITH APPROXIMATELY 20 KNOTS AIRSPEED. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STARTED SPINNING HARD TO THE RIGHT. CW2 MILLS THOUGHT HE HAD LOST HIS TAIL ROTOR BUT WAS MAINLY CONCERNED IN KEEPING THE CYCLIC CENTERED FOR FEAR OF INVERTING HIS AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE WATER NOSE LOW AND SPINNING TO THE RIGHT, APPROXIMATELY 100 METERS NORTH OF THE BRIDGE. THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY BEGAN SINKING. BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE WATER, IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE GUNNER, SP4 BROOKS, EITHER JUMPED OR WAS THROWN FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE REMAINING CREW MEMBERS, STAYED INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, PILOT AND CREW CHIEF SURFACED WITHIN 20 FEET OF EACH OTHER AFTER EXITING THE AIRCRAFT. SP4 BROOKS SURFACED APPROXIMATELY 75 METERS FROM THE REST OF THE CREW AND WAS SEEN BRIEFLY BY THE CREW AND SOME VIETNAMESE PEOPLE ON THE BRIDGE BEFORE HE WENT UNTER THE 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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