Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00696
Date: 05/09/1971
Incident number: 710509041ACD Accident case number: 710509041 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 173 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Dong Ha in
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 3 . . Passengers = 1
costing 271415
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
P W1 JD KENNEMER
CP W1 MD SLOCUM
CE E4 DH HAWKINGS
G PFC CHASTANG JOHNELL LAVERNE KIA
Passengers and/or other participants:
, MS, G
Accident Summary:
THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT WHEN THE PILOT NOTICED THE N1 GUAGE FLUCTUATING BETWEEN 89 AND 94%. HE THEN HEARD A POP AND THE N1 NEEDLE BEGAN A STEADY DROP TO 0*. HE ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN POWER BY DECREASING COLLECTIVE PITCH, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. AT THIS TIME, THE FIRE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE PILOT NOTICED A FIRE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE NOTIFIED HIS LEAD SHIP THAT HE WAS GOING DOWN WITH A COMPRESSOR STALL. HE PULLED SOME COLLECTIVE PITCH TO INCREASES HIS GLIDE TO MAKE A SUITABLE LANDING AREA, AND REDUCED THE AIRSPEED TO 60 KNOTS. ALL SWITCHES WERE TURNED OFF EXCEPT THE MAIN GENERATOR PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE WATER AT 20 KNOTS FORWARD AIRSPEED. THE TAILBOOM STRUCK THE WATER WHILE THE REST OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS TWISTED TO THE LEFT AND ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT TRIED TO BLEED OFF ALL ROTOR RPM PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT BY THE TURNING BLADES. THE TAILBOOM WAS SEVERED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST.\\
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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