Helicopter UH-1H 66-17039

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-17039
The Army purchased this helicopter 1167
Total flight hours at this point: 00000507
Date: 07/29/1968
Accident case number: 680729201 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 173 ABN
The station for this helicopter was Bong Son in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: BR751633
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 4 . . Passengers = 2
costing 228554
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 W1 HENDERSON JR
P W1 ALLISON MS
CE E4 DOLL TE

Passengers:
UNK UNK, PAX, D; UNK UNK, PAX, D;

Accident Summary:

The mission of the aircraft was the emergency resupply of B Company, 1/50 Mechanical Infantry located vicinity of coordinates BR943642. The copilot attempted the first landing but executed a missed approach. The aircraft commander took the controls and completed the second approach. The tips of the skids and the forward lower chin bubble were placed against the slope of the LZ. Time of touchdown was approximately 1900 hours. The sun was still up, but the LZ was in the shade of a mountain. The aircraft was off loaded and two passengers boarded, one from each side. Neither crew chief nor gunner notified the pilots of the presence of passengers on board. The crew chief cleared the ship back and up. The gunner cleared the ship on the right. The aircraft moved back, up, and right. The copilot and gunner failed to notify the aircraft commander of the proximity of the tree on the right. The main rotor struck the tree. No vibration was immediately experienced and, due to the extreme slope, the aircraft commander could not set the aircraft down. He picked the aircraft up, did a left pedal turn, to utilize the low barriers and nosed it over to gain airspeed. A severe 1 to 1 vertical vibration was experienced. The aircraft commander set the ship down in the first available area, an old LZ. The aircraft landed on a log on a steep slope and could not be set down. The aircraft spun to the left and settled on its left side.

This record was last updated on 04/16/1997

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-17039
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 1167.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

 
DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
196711   0    0 W0Y6AA INTRANSIT        IN TRANSIT                  AVCOMCTR
196712   6    6 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196801  94  100 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN       
196802  73  173 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN       
196803 103  276 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN       
196804  62  338 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN       
196805  64  402 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN       
196806  55  457 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN       
196807  50  507 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN

Please send additions or corrections to:

Gary Roush

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Printed from databases on: 12/28/2016

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