Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15681
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00000869
Date: 03/01/1970
Incident number: 700301111ACD Accident case number: 700301111 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 48 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Ninh Hoa in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 1 . . Passengers = 0
costing 305145
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 LEITCH LARRY DUANE KIA
P O2 RG HILLARD
CE E4 CM FORSBERY
G E4 RA MOULTON
Accident Summary:
THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAKING PART IN COMBAT ASSAULT OPERATIONS INVOLVING THE 9TH ROD DIVISION. THE MISSION INVOLVED TRANSPORTING TROOPS FROM THE PZ AT SEA LEVEL TO THE LZ AT COORDINATED BP 592 430, A MOUNTAINSIDE 3,500 FEET IN ELEVATION. THE AIRCRAFT MADE ITS APPROACH TO A HOVER WITH 6 KOREAN TROOPS ON BOARD. THE LZ WAS ON A SLOPE AND WAS COVERED WITH LARGE ROCKS AND SMALL TREES. THE PILOTS ELECTED TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT AT A 3 TO 4 FOOT HOVER TO UNLOAD THE TROOPS. ACCORDING TO WITNESS STATEMENTS, FROM THE CREW CHIEF AND DOOR GUNNER, THE CREW CHIEF TOLD THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, WHO HAD THE CONTROLS, TO BRING THE TAIL UP TO AVOID HITTING SOME ROCKS. AS THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO RISE, THE N2 STARTED BLEEDING OFF AND THE NOSE STARTED SWINGING TO THE RIGHT, WHICH THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WAS UNABLE TO STOP WITH LEFT PEDAL. AT THIS TIME THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER GAVE THE CONTROLS TO HIS PILOT, WHO WAS THE MORE EXPERIENCED OF THE TWO PILOTS. THE PILOT ELECTED TO SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN TO STOP THE SPINNING. AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE GROUND AND PART OF IT ENTERED THE COCKPIT KILLING THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER. THE HELICOPTER THEN FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE AND BEGAN TO BURN. IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOTALLY DESTROYED BY THE POST-CRASH FIRE.\\
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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