Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16799
The Army purchased this helicopter 0967
Total flight hours at this point: 00000401
Date: 04/19/1968
Incident number: 68041999.KIA
Unit: B/229 AHB 1 CAV
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YD259084 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48QYD259084)
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA, Ken Hiscock (Operations Report. )
Summary: Lead B/229 AHB aircraft on the CA into the A Shau. Was hit by an enemy grenade, aborted the landing, tail boom separated, crashed.
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P 1LT NESSET DAVID JON KIA
G SGT MATIS WALTER FRANCIS E JR KIA
AC WO1 HARRINGTON CHARLES J KIA
War Story:
Several B/229 AHB VHPAers recall the details of WO Harrington & 1LT Nesset's aircraft being the lead of a six ship CA into the A Shau Valley, being hit by an RPG while attempting to land, aborting the landing, and the tail boom separating from the aircraft as it was climbing for altitude. They mention that several grunts were thrown from the aircraft because of the loss of the tail rotor. The CE jumped from the aircraft just prior to it crash in the jungle and survived. The crew chief jumped and was the only crew member to survive. MGL August 2001.
This record was last updated on 02/13/2020
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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