Helicopter OH-6A 67-16670


Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16670
The Army purchased this helicopter 0369
Total flight hours at this point: 00001058
Date: 05/28/1971 MIA-POW file reference number: 1750
Incident number: 71052821.KIA
Unit: B/2/17 CAV 101 ABN
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
This was a Recon mission for Armed Recon
While in Operations Area this helicopter was in Orbit at 0030 feet and 060 knots.
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YD284087 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48QYD284087)
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Explosive Weapon; Non-Artillery launched or static weapons containing explosive charges. (RPG)
causing an Explosion.
Systems damaged were: PERSONNEL
Casualties = 02 DOI . .
The helicopter Crashed. Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Burned
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Reference Notes. Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: 1750, LNNF, CASRP (Lindenmuth New Format Data Base. Casualty Report. )
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
P CPT URQUHART PAUL DEAN BNR
OB SP5 CHAVIRA STEPHEN BNR


REFNO Synopsis:
SYNOPSIS: Capt. Paul D. Urquhart, pilot and SP4 Stephen Chavira, observer, were the crew of an OH6A helicopter on a visual reconnaissance mission in the northern A Shau Valley in Thua Thin Province, South Vietnam. The OH6A and a UH1A were chase ships for two AH1C gunships on this mission.

During an area recheck, while at an altitude of 30 feet above ground level, one of the gunship commanders saw a rocket propelled grenade round strike Capt. Urquhart's aircraft and explode, causing the tail boom to bend in half. The aircraft was seen to explode into flames, crash and burn on a small knoll.

An area about 25 meters around the crash site was burned off by the ensuing fire, thus permitting an accessible view by aerial reconnaissance over the area after the crash. None of the witnesses reported seeing anyone thrown clear of the helicopter during the mid-air explosion or during the crash. No remains or survivors were seen after the crash.

No ground search was conducted due to enemy activity in the area. On June 7, reconnaissance of the area was conducted during which the investigating officer saw no signs of survivors or remains.

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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