Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17257
The Army purchased this helicopter 0268
Total flight hours at this point: 00000576
Date: 09/12/1969
Incident number: 690912261ACD Accident case number: 690912261 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 129 AHC
The station for this helicopter was An Son in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 8 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 5
costing 455945
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 CW2 DESANTIS STEPHEN ANTHONY KIA
P WO1 SAWRAN RICHARD ARTHUR KIA
CE SP4 JACKSON LAWRENCE DAVID KIA
G PFC HARGRAVE STEPHAN LEE KIA
Passengers and/or other participants:
X1 HE KY, , PX, KIA
X1 HUAN KK, , PX, KIA
X1 SUK KH, , PX, KIA
, PAX, A
Accident Summary:
ON THE NIGHT OF 12 SEP 69, CRID DECLARED A TAC-E AND AT APPROXIMATELY 2130 HOURS AIRCRAFT WAS LAUNCHED FROM LANE AHP. THE CREW WAS NOT ADVISED OF THE WEATHER BY EITHER THE OPERATIONS OFFICER OF THE 129TH AHC OR LANE TOWER. THE MISSION OF THE CREW WAS TO EXTRACT ONE RALLIER FROM THE 11TH CO CAV REGT AND FLY THE RALLIER TO ROK HOSPITAL. ENROUTE THE CREW WAS TO PICK UP PERSONNEL FROM THE CRID TOC, WHICH THEY DID AND THE CREW THEN REQUESTED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO FLY THROUGH THE PASS NORTHWEST OF LANE AHP. THE AIRCRAFT ARRIVED AT THE 11TH COMPANY AT APPROXIMATELY 2155 HOURS AND DEPARTED AT 2205 HOURS. THE CREW CONTACTED PHU CAT APPROACH CONTROL AND NOTIFIED THEM THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD GONE INTO IFR CONDITIONS AND REQUESTED A RADAR VECTOR TO VFR CONDITIONS. THE PILOT REPORTED HIS ALTITUDE WAS 5,000 FEET AND REQUESTED A PRIORITY RADAR VECTOR FOR A GCA INTO PHY CAT AFB. THE PILOT REPORTED HIS POSITION AS OVER THE CHA RANG VALLEY OFF THE 170 RADIAL FROM PHU CAT AFB. PHU CAT APPROACH CONTROL COULD NOT MAKE A POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION BUT HAD A SUSPECTED RADAR TARGET SEVEN MILES ON THE 170 RADIAL. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER REPORTED HE WAS ENCOUNTERING SEVERE TURBULENCE. AT 2212 HOURS PHU CAT CONTROL INSTRUCTED THE AC TO TURN INBOUND TO THE BEACON AND CLIMB TO 6000 FEET. THE PILOT ROGERED THE CONTROLLER'S INSTRUCTION. THIS WAS THE LAST COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT AND THE GROUND. AFTER RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST, THE DUST OFF AND GUNSHIPS WERE LAUNCHED, HOWEVER, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS DID NOT PERMIT THE SEARCH AIRCRAFT TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE UNTIL 0030 HOURS. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN AT 1990 FEET AND 125 FEET FROM THE CREST OF THE MOUNTAIN. THE WRECKAGE SUGGESTS THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A SLIGHTLY NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE AND WAS IN A SHALLOW RIGHT HAND TURN. THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THERE WAS A BLADE STRIKE ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE RIGHT SKID HIT NEXT AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS PITCHED FORWARD AND UP THE HILL WHERE THE TRANSMISSION AND THE MAIN WRECKAGE REMAINED. THE ENGINE WAS TOSSED FURTHER UP THE HILL AND THE TAIL BOOM SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND CAME TO REST 75 FEET NORTH OF THE ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE BURNED DUE TO IMPACT.\\
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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