Helicopter UH-1H 68-15426


Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15426
The Army purchased this helicopter 0369
Total flight hours at this point: 00002009
Date: 04/27/1972
Incident number: 720427031ACD Accident case number: 720427031 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 129 AHC
The station for this helicopter was An Son in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 4 . . Injured = 2 . . Passengers = 2
costing 434070
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:
AC WO1 STROTHER CLAUD PAUL KIA
P 1LT SHAW THOMAS FRANCIS KIA
CE E4 BE SANCHEZ
G E4 B HERNANDEZ

Passengers and/or other participants:
UNK MO, , PX, KIA
UNK SUCK, , PX, KIA


Accident Summary:

 ON 27 APRIL 1972 AT 0630 HOURS LOCAL, AIRCRAFT ^SN 68-15426,^ BELONGING TO THE ^129TH ASSAULT HELICOPTER COMPANY^ TOOK OFF FROM LANE ARMY HELIPORT ON A DIRECT COMBAT SUPPORT MISSION IN SUPPORT OF THE CAVALRY REGIMENT, CRID. THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMMANDED BY ^WO1 CLAUDE P. STROTHER, 459-72-0606,^ AND THE CO-PILOT WAS ^1LT THOMAS F. SHAW, 388-50-5291.^ THE AIRCRAFT FLEW NORMAL RESUPPLY ALL MORNING AND REFUELED AT AN KHE AIRFIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 1015 HOURS. UPON DEPARTURE FROM POL THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A SORTIE TO^1ST COMPANY, 1ST BATTALION^LOCATED AT THE SUMMIT OF THE MOUNTAIN JUST SOUTH OF THE AN KHE PASS WITH ^1LT SHAW^ AT THE CONTROLS. THE AIRCRAFT LOW-LEVELED UP THE ROAD TO THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 90-100 KNOTS AND UPON REACHING THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN BEGAN A CLIMB UP TO THE LZ. JUST AFTER INITIATING THE CLIMB THE SURVIVING CREW MEMBERS RECALLED ^WO1 STROTHER^ TELL ^1LT SHAW^ TO "GET IT UP". AT THIS TIME THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND ^1LT SHAW^ ADDED COLLECTIVE PITCH, APPLIED AFT CYCLIC, AND STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR ON THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED IN A SHARP RIGHT TURN, WENT NOSE LOW AND STRUCK A TREE ON THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND LANDING ON ITS NOSE AND CAME TO REST IN THAT POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT BURN. ANOTHER AIRCRAFT FROM THE ^129TH AHC^ WHO HAD BEEN IN RADIO COMMUNICATION WITH ^426^ LOST COMMUNICATION, INVESTIGATED, AND SAW THE AIRCRAFT WHERE IT CAME TO REST. A MEDIVAC SHIP WAS SUMMONED AND THE COMPANY COMMANDER, ^MAJ ALAN F. JONES,^ WHO WAS IN THE AREA, FLEW TO THE SCENE TO ASSIST IN RESCUE OF THE CREW. IT WAS APPARENT UPON INVESTIGATION THAT THE PILOT AND CO-PILOT WERE DEAD AND THAT THE REST OF THE CREW HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE WRECKAGE. A MEDIVAC SHIP FROM THE ^237TH MEDICAL DETACHMENT^ ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AND MEDIVACED THE GUNNER AND CREW CHIEF TO THE ^133D MEDICAL DETACHMENT^ IN QUI NHON. THEY THEN RETURNED AND PICKED UP THE BODIES OF ^WO1 STROTHER, 1LT SHAW,^ AND TWO KOREANS WHO WERE ALSO KILLED IN THE CRASH AND TOOK THEM TO GRAVES REGISTRATION IN QUI NHON.\\

This record was last updated on 11/29/2005


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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023


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