Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 65-12946
Date: 05/09/1970
Incident number: 700509131ACD Accident case number: 700509131 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 11 ACR
The station for this helicopter was Quan Loi in
Number killed in accident = 2 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 215021
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
P CPT DURHAM RHONALD LEE KIA
OB SGT MARR JOHN AUSTIN KIA
Accident Summary:
WHILE WORKING NORTH OF SNOOL ON A VISUAL RECONNAISSANCE MISSION, WHITE 13 AND RED 7 WERE CALLED BY THE S-3, 2ND SQUADRON, 11TH ACR TO COME TO HIS LOCATION AND CHECK OUT A POSSIBLE ENEMY BASE CAMP. UPON ARRIVAL IN THE AREA THE S-3, 2ND SQUADRON, POPPED A RED SMOKE TO LOCATE THE AREA FOR WHITE 13. WHITE 13 ASKED THE S-3 2ND SQUADRON TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE AREA AND LET HIM TAKE A GOOD LOOK. THE S-3'S AIRCRAFT MOVED OUT, ALLOWING WHITE 13 TO VR THE AREA. AFTER MOVING INTO THE TREES, WHITE 13 REPORTED THERE WAS SOME HIGH TREES ABOUT 300 FEET TALL IN THE AREA AND PROCEDED TO CHECK THE AREA. WHITE 13 MADE A CALL TO RED 7 (COBRA) THAT HE HAD SPOTTED A BUNKER ABOUT 5'X8' AND A HOOTCH. WHITE 13 HAD MADE ABOUT THREE PASSES AROUND THE BUNKER AND HOOTCH IN A LEFT HAND TURN WHEN HIS MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK ONE OF THE LARGE TREES AND STARTED TO TEAR OUT THE TOP OF THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT GO UP OR DOWN IMMEDIATELY, HOWEVER AFTER STRIKING THE TREE FOR A SHORT TIME (SECOND) THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AND CRASHED TO THE GROUND BURSTING INTO FLAMES. THERE WAS NO RADIO CALL FROM WHITE 13 DURING THE ACCIDENT.\\
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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