Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16029
The Army purchased this helicopter 0568
Total flight hours at this point: 00000221
Date: 12/28/1968
Incident number: 681228081ACD Accident case number: 681228081 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: A/1/9 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Tay Ninh in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XT329180 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48PXT329180)
Number killed in accident = 2 . . Injured = 1 . . Passengers = 0
costing 203546
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 WO1 TRONERUD STEPHEN LYLE KIA
OB E3 FA COBB
CE PVT JOHNSON ROSS ARNOLD JR KIA
Accident Summary:
This aircraft departed Tay Ninh, RVN at 0730 hours on a visual reconnaissance mission. It was the second ship in a two ship formation. Both were OH-6A helicopters. Both aircraft were flying low level over the flat, clear agricultural land around Go-Dau-Ha. The number two aircrft observed a Vietnamese civilian in an open field that he wanted a closer look at. He broke formation to the right. The lead aircraft turned and assumed a position behind the number two aircraft. After circling the civilian he started another right turn to regain his position behind his leader. At this poiint his right skid struck the ground. His forward speed was estimated at 50 to 60 knots. The aircraft disintegrated and exploded immediately. It is unclear whether the crew members were thrown out of the wreckage or somehow managed to extricate themselves. They were observed to run out of the fire almost immediately. The pilot and observer were on fire and the flames on their bodies were extinguished by the crew of the other aircraft. The crew chief was seriously burned, but was able to assist in the care of the other crew members. The wreckage continued to burn until it was almost entirely consumed except a portion of the tail section.
This record was last updated on 01/26/2019
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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