Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 68-17210
The Army purchased this helicopter 0669
Total flight hours at this point: 00000780
Date: 01/31/1970
Incident number: 700131061ACD Accident case number: 700131061 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 1 BDE 25 INF
The station for this helicopter was Tay Ninh in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XT146511 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48PXT146511)
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 170021
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 WO1 RICHARDSON NORWOOD ROLAND KIA
Accident Summary:
THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN CONDUCTING A COMMAND AND CONTROL MISSION FOR 3RD BN 22D INFANTRY LOCATED AT FIRE SUPPORT BASE WASHINGTON,XT 145568. AT APPROXIMATELY 1013 HOURS THE PILOT MADE A RADIO CALL TO HIS FLIGHT FOLLOWING CENTER, 1ST BDE TACTICAL OPERATIONS CENTER, TAY NINH BASE CAMP. HE INFORMED THE FLIGHT FOLLOWING CENTER THAT HIS COMMAND AND CONTROL MISSION HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND THAT HE WAS ENROUTE TO TAY NINH BASE CAMP FOR FIRE SUPPORT BASE WASHINGTON, AN APPROXIMATE FIVE MINUTE FLIGHT. AT APPROXIMATELY 1015 HOURS WITNESSES (TAB D) SAW THE AIRCRAFT FLYING AT APPROXIMATELY TWO HUNDRED FEET ALTITUDE ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY TWO HUNDRED DEGREES. THE WIND WAS OUT OF THE NORTH AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT PATH WAS WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE DOWN WIND LEG FOR LANDING AT TAY NINH BASE CAMP. WITNESSES DESCRIBE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN NORMAL FLIGHT ATTITUDE WHEN THE TAIL ROTOR SECTION (TAB 9 PHOTE OF THE TAIL ROTOR SECTION) INCLUDING THE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. FROM THAT INSTANT THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNCONTROLLABLE DUE TO LOSS OF SUCH A LARGE SECTION OF THE TAIL ASSEMBLY. WITH THE LOSS OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A RIGHT HAND SPIN WHICH RESULTED IN THE SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF THE TAIL BOOM AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTING WITH THE GROUND. UPON IMPACT THE AIRCRAFT BURST INTO FLAMES AND WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED.\\
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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