Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-15040
Date: 01/05/1971
Incident number: 710105101ACD Accident case number: 710105101 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 57 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Camp Holloway in
Number killed in accident = 3 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 2
costing 375215
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
P WO1 LYNCH JOHN WILLIAM III KIA
OB SP4 HARDEN LARRY OWEN KIA
PX SGT KENT DOUGLAS BRIAN KIA
Accident Summary:
PILOT CALLED THE TOWER FOR TAKEOFF CLEARANCE AT 1930 HOURS TO CONDUCT A NIGHT TEST FLIGHT TO DETERMINE IF CHANGING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HAD ELIMINATED THE 1 TO 1 VERTICAL VIBRATION NOTED IN THE 2408-13. HE REQUESTED CLOSED TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 05 RIGHT, AND COMPLETED ONE LOW APPOOACH PAST THE TOWER. AFTERWARDS, THE PILOT REQUESTED THE SECOND ONE AND HE WAS CLEARED TO CONTINUE. THIS PROTION OF THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL. AS HE PASSED THE TOWER FOR THE SECOND TIME, HIS ALTITUDE WAS ESTIMATED AT 80 FEET AGL AND AIRSPEED IN EXCESS OF 80 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT INITIATED A SHARP LEFT CLIMBING TURN TO THE CROSSWIND WHEN SUDDENLY UPON REACHING APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AGL A BRIEF EXPLETIVE WAS HEARD OVER THE TOWER RADIO AND THE ALTITUDE DROPPED SEVERELY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TURNED 180 DEGREES AND IMPACTED THE GROUND, NOSE FIRST, AT AN ANGLE OF ABOUT 80 DEGREES, AND IT NEVER ROLLED OUT OF THE TURN. THE AIRSPEED AT THE TIME OF THE IMPACT AS SHOWN ON THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR WAS 130 KNOTS AND THE TIME WAS 1940 HOURS. THE FUSELAGE BURST INTO A BALL OF FLAMES AND BURNED COMPLETELY. ALL THREE OCCUPANTS WERE KILLED FROM CONTACT INJURIES INCURRED FROM THE CRASH LANDING. THEIR BODIES WERE LATER RECOVERED.\\
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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