Helicopter UH-1H 69-15692


Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 69-15692
The Army purchased this helicopter 0970
Total flight hours at this point: 00000521
Date: 04/24/1971
Incident number: 710424101ACD Accident case number: 710424101 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: A/229 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Bien Hoa in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 3 . . Injured = 8 . . Passengers = 7
costing 410945
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 CPT FANNING MARTIN VINCENT KIA
P WO1 JEFFRIES GABRIEL AUGUS JR KIA
CE E4 LO OLDS
G E3 NA STANFIELD

Passengers and/or other participants:
SGT COLBURN RICHARD EUGENE, AR, PX, KIA
E4 JT PUGH, PAX, D
E5 KR CAPPS, PAX, D
E3 TA SUKUP, PAX, D
E4 C CASTILLO, PAX, D
E5 WJ BROOKS, PAX, D
O2 CJ MCCOY, PAX, D


Accident Summary:

 THE AIRCRAFT WAS RELEASED FROM ITS MISSION (COMMAND AND CONTROL) AT APPROXIMATELY 1720 HOURS, 24 APRIL 1971. THEY REFUELED AT FSB FONTAINE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE (APPROX. 1300 LBS9 TOTAL). THEY THEN REPOSITIONED FROM POL TO THE VIP PAD AND PICKED UP SEVEN (7) PAXS. REQUEST FOR TAKEOFF WAS MADE AND THEY WERE CLEARED FOR A 020 DEPARTURE FROM THE PATHFINDER. A HOVER-CHECK WAS MADE AND AS STATED BY THE CREW, IT WAS READ OFF BY THE CO-PILOT AT 36 LBS. OF TORQUE AND 98% N1. THE TAKEOFF WAS NORMAL AND UNEVENTFUL. THEY CLEARED THE TREES AND WERE GAINING ALTITUDE (APPROX. 100-200 FT ABOVE THE TREES) WHEN A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD AND A LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED SLOWLY FOR 25 TO 50 FEET, THEN CONTINUED AT A RAPID RATE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING FOR A CLEARED AREA, AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE CLEARED AREA ITS RATE OF DESCENT SLOWED CONSIDERABLY (RPM DECAYED RAPIDLY AT THIS POINT). IT THEN MADE CONTACT WITH APPROXIMATELY THREE (3) TREES 4 TO 8 INCHES IN DIAMETER APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET HIGH. THE AC TRIED TO ENTER THE LZ IN A SLIDING MOTION AROUND THE TREES BUT THE LEFT SKID CAUGHT ON ONE OF THE THREE TREES CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO PITCH NOSE DOWN AND ROLL RIGHT. WITH THE CONTINUING DECAY OF RPM (100 RPM AS STATED BY THE CE) THE AIRCRAFT FELL NEAR VERTICALLY APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET IMPACTING ON LOGS, NOSE LOW WITH THE RIGHT COCKPIT PORTION SUSTAINING GREATER DAMAGE, AND CONTINUED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE CREW CHIEF AND A PASSENGER, ^PFC CASTILLO^ WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY. A FIRE WAS NOTICED IN THE ENGINE, THE CREW CHIEF BEING UNABLE TO WALK INSTRUCTED THE PAX TO SECURE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WHICH WAS DONE. HE ALSO HAD THE PAX TURN OFF THE BATTERY. ABOUT THIS TIME HELP ARRIVED AND THEY BEGAN FREEING THE OTHER PERSONNEL FROM THE WRECKAGE.\\

This record was last updated on 02/06/2009


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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023


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