Helicopter OH-6A 66-14390

Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 66-14390
The Army purchased this helicopter 0268
Total flight hours at this point: 00000289
Date: 04/02/1969
Accident case number: 690402341 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 173 ABN
The station for this helicopter was Bong Son in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 1 . . Passengers = 0
costing 104969
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
P O2 BASSIGNANI WJ
CE E5 SABO E

Accident Summary:

 ON 2 APRIL 69, AT APPROXIMATELY 1630 HRS., A MINI-CAV TEAM OF TWO LOH-6AS, MOUNTED WITH MINIGUNS, WAS MAKING A VISUAL RECON IN SUPPORT OF THE ^2/503 INF, 173D ABN BDE^. UPON COMPLETION OF THE MISSION BOTH SHIPS DEPARTED THE RECON AREA TO RETURN TO LZ ENGLISH, SOME THREE MILES TO THE NORTH. BOTH SHIPS WERE ENGAGED IN A LOW LEVEL RECON OF THE AREA OF OPERATION WHILE ENROUTE TO HOME STATION. AT APPROXIMATELY 40 KNOTS AND 20 FEET (ABSOLUTE), IN IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT, AIRCRAFT 390 SUDDENLY INCURRED A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT ENTERED NORMAL LOW LEVEL AUTOROTATION AND PICKED OUT A LANDING AREA TO HIS IMMEDIATE FRONT FOR TOUCHDOWN. DIRECTION OF LANDING WAS NORTH. PILOT WAS ABLE TO SEE TWO RICE PADDY DIKES PROTRUDING UP OUT OF THE LANDING AREA, BUT, DUE TO LOW AIRSPEED, WAS UNABLE TO GAIN ALTITUDE. BY USING HIS ROTOR RPM, PILOT WAS ABLE TO GLIDE AIRCRAFT OVER BOTH DIKES AND INTO TALL GRASS IN A RICE PADDY BEYOND THE DIKES. THIS ACTION PREVENTED THE POSSIBILITY OF A FLARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE AUTOROTATION, SINCE AIRCRAFT WAS NEARLY AT THE POINT OF TOUCHDOWN AND LOW ROTOR RPM PREVENTED SPONTANEOUS CONTROL REACTION. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN WITH SOME FORWARD MOTION AND SLID APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET IN THE TALL GRASS BEFORE MAKING CONTACT WITH A THIRD UNSEEN, PADDY DIKE. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDS STRUCK THE DIKE AND AIRCRAFT ROLLED NOSE FIRST OVER THE DIKE, LANDING ON ITS TOP, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED SLIDING ON ITS TOP FOR ANOTHER TEN FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. AT NO TIME DURING THE FLIGHT DID THE ENGINE OR ENGINE SYSTEMS GIVE ANY INDICATIONS OF MALFUNCTION. ENGINE FAILURE WAS SUDDEN AND COMPLETE. ENGINE SN AE 400676, WAS SHIPPED FOR ANALYSIS TO ^79TH TRANS CO (DS)^ ON 4 APR 69.\\


Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 66-14390
The Army purchased this helicopter 0268
Total flight hours at this point: 00000427
Date: 01/14/1971
Unit: C/2/17 CAV
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Unarmed Recon
While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0050 feet and 080 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
Systems damaged were: MAIN ROTOR SYS
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: LNNF (Lindenmuth New Format Data Base. )


Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 66-14390
The Army purchased this helicopter 0268
Total flight hours at this point: 00000447
Date: 02/13/1971
Unit: 142 TC CO
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was UNK
This was a Recon mission for Unarmed Recon
While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0050 feet and 070 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 2 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (12.7MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Bottom
Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS, STRUCTURE, ELECTRICAL SYS, COMM SYS
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft was diverted prior to accomplishing any mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: LNNF, JSIDR, HUGHS (Lindenmuth New Format Data Base. Joint Services Incident Damage Report. )


The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 66-14390
It is provided here as an ESTIMATE of the history of this helicopter and is not intended to be the final authority.
This helicopter was purchased by the US Army in 0268.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

 
DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
196802   0    0 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD        AVCOM           
196803   0    0 3300   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY  
196804  84   84 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN      
196805   0   84 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN      
196806   0   84 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN      
196807   0   84 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN      
196808   0   84 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN      
196809   0   84 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN      
196810   0   84 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN      
196811  26  110 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN       
196812  43  153 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN       
196901  49  202 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN       
196902  61  263 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN       
196903  26  289 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN       
196904   0  289 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR    
196905   0  289 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR    
196906   0  289 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN MAINT   SHARPE AD        AVCOM           
196907   0  289 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
196908   0  289 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
196909   0  289 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
196910   0  289 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
196911   0  289 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
196912   0  289 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
197001   0  289 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
197002   0  289 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
197003   0  289 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
197004   0  289 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
197005   0  289 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
197006   9  298 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
197007   0  298 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT      BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVCOM             
197008   0  298 WC5GAA 610 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     
197009   0  298 WC5GAA 610 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     
197010   0  298 WC5GAA 610 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     
197011   9  307 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197012  47  354 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197101  73  427 WAB0C0 2 17 ACV C TRP   VIETNAM                     RVN     
197102  20  447 WE4HAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN     
197103   0  447 W0MHAA DIR FOR MAINT    6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD        AVSCOM            
197104   0  447 W0MHAA DIR FOR MAINT    6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD        AVSCOM            
197105   0  447 W0MHAA DIR FOR MAINT    6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD        AVSCOM            
197106   0  447 W0MHAA DIR FOR MAINT    6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD        AVSCOM            
197107   0  447 W0ZGAA HUGHES           BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVSCOM          
197108   0  447 W0ZGAA HUGHES           BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVSCOM          
197109   0  447 W0ZGAA HUGHES           BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVSCOM          
197110   0  447 W0ZGAA HUGHES           BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVSCOM          
197111   0  447 W0ZGAA HUGHES           BAILMENT   CULVER CITY      AVSCOM          
197203  48   48 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197204  65  113 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197205  50  163 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197206  45  208 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197207  46  254 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197208  39  293 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197209   0  293 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197210  34  327 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197211  12  339 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197212  13  352 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197301  25  377 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197302  12  389 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197303  15  404 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197304  13  417 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197305  32  449 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197306  77  526 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197307   9  535 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197308  14  549 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197309   6  555 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197310   5  560 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197311   0  560 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197312   0  560 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197401   0  560 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197402   9  569 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197403  14  583 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197404   2  585 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197405  23  608 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197406  43  651 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197410  13  742 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197411   7  749 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197412   2  751 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197501   5  756 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197502   0  756 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197503   8  764 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197504   0  764 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197505  16  780 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197506  27  807 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197507  19  826 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197508  16  842 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197509   6  848 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197510  14  862 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197511  11  873 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
197512   6  879 WPZSAA                  NAT GUARD                   NAT GDZI
200212   0    0                         USA        CAMP JOHNSON     USA     


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Gary Roush


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Printed from databases on: 12/28/2016

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