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
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Printed from databases on: 12/28/2016
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