Helicopter AH-1G 66-15340

Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 66-15340
The Army purchased this helicopter 1267
Total flight hours at this point: 00001509
Date: 02/05/1971 MIA-POW file reference number: 1699
Incident number: 710205091ACD
Unit: D/3/5 CAV
This was an Operational Loss caused by an accident by Accident with the mission function of Armed Visual Reconnaissance
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XD865443 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48QXD865443)
Casualties = YES . .
Search and rescue operations were Not Required
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center AVDAC database. Defense Intelligence Agency Reference Notes. Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: 1699 ()
Loss to Inventory and Helicopter was not recovered

Crew Members:
P WO1 PAUL JAMES LEE BNR
P WO1 WOOD CARL MITCHELL KIA

REFNO Synopsis:
SYNOPSIS: WO1 James L. Paul, co-pilot,and WO1 Carl M. Wood, pilot, were flying a Cobra gunship (tail #66-15340) on an extraction mission on February 5, 1971, in the general vicinity of Khe Sanh, Military Region 1, South Vietnam. Shortly after the start of the extraction, WO1 Paul's aircraft entered a heavy cloud cover which forced the pilot to go on instruments to climb out of the weather. It was during the climb that the Cobra impacted a mountainside and exploded. Aircraft accompanying the Cobra immediately began a visual reconnaissance of the area and sighted the crash. Ground search teams were inserted and a 50 meter area surrounding the crash was searched. The search indicated there had been a violent explosion upon impact. WO1 Wood's remains were recovered from the wreckage of the aircraft. Weather delayed further search until February 10, 1971, during which a baseball cap containing Paul`s name, a watch, part of a ring and map and a chinstrap were found 1 meter from the wreckage. The team also discovered an unidentifiable hand under the wreckage. Search was discontinued, and from all indications, it was determined that Paul was dead.

This record was last updated on 04/15/2004

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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023