Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00710
Date: 07/31/1967
Incident number: 670731011ACD Accident case number: 670731011 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 188 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Cam Ranh in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: CQ240350 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 49PCQ240350)
Number killed in accident = 4 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 789679
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 CW2 CAUTHEN HENRY CLAY SR KIA
AC WO1 DAVIE RODNEY OWEN KIA
CE SP5 ALLWOOD JOSEPH WAYNE BRYA KIA
G SP4 WILLIAMS PAUL EDWARD KIA
Accident Summary:
The subject helicopters were gun ships on a night reconnaissance mission in an area south and west of Phu Hiep AAF, RVN. At a point 2.1 miles southwest of the Phu Hiep complex, the two helicopters lost contact with each other, resulting in a mid-air collision at approximately 2345 hours. Both aircraft were totally destroyed in the resultant crash and fire. There were no survivors. The two gun ships became separated while approaching the RVN compound, one half mile northwest of the crash site. Helicopter 66-707 circled to the left. This fact is borne right from the statement of one witness, that the aircraft he was trying to follow appeared to be further away, as the sound moved west and south. Also the radio transmission between the two aircraft indicated that 66-707 was in a left turn. After the first pass over the area, helicopter 66-710 circled left toward the bridge and then turned back right over the bridge and to the southeast. At the time the two helicopters collided in the air, 66-710 was on a heading somewhere between 140 degrees and 180 degrees. Helicopter 66-707 was at a heading somewhere between 320 degrees and 360 degrees. At the point of contact, it is assumed that 66-710 was turning away from 66-707 or 66-707 was turning away from 66-710. This fact is evidenced by the rotor blade marks on the left door of 66-710. It was a glancing blow with the under side of the rotor balde marking the door. The force of 66-707 striking 66-710 and the resultant vibration caused the transmission and rotor head to become separated. The transmission fell straight down, or nearly straight down. The rotor blade and head, having some aerodynamic characteristic, fell south of the point of mid-air collision. Helicopter 66-707 became a flaming ball falling to the southeast. Witnesses stated they saw the burning wreckage falling to their left, which some believed to be to the north. Helicopter 66-710 did not burn until after ground impact. Parts of 66-710 fell in the general direction of south, with the main wreckage making contact with the ground at a heading 160 degrees. The helicopter struck a rice paddy dike, flipped around, causing the engine to tear loose, and continue another 25 feet. The helicopter burst into flames at, or shortly after, ground contact. The pilot in the left seat of 66-710 was thrown clear along with the pilots seat shortly after the mid-air collision. He became separated from the seat prior to ground contact.
War Story:
Re: incident # 670731012AD Accident # 670731012
The duty station for these aircraft is listed as Cam Rahn, we were TDY from Dautieng (269cab, 12th grp) and flew from Phu Hiep south of Tuy Hoa I witnessed the mid air that night from the company area. From: Jim Wilson, 188 AHC 67-68
This record was last updated on 06/20/2023
This information is available on CD-ROM.
Additional information is available on KIAs at http://www.coffeltdatabase.org
Please send additions or corrections to: The VHPA Webmaster Gary Roush.
KIA statistics
Return to the KIA panel date index
Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association