ON 25 MAY 1970 AT APPROXIMATELY 1730 HOURS, I WAS INFORMED BY THE PLATOON COMMANDER THAT A UH-1H SERIAL NUMBER 68-16564, BELONGING TO THIS UNIT HAD A MAIN AND TAIL ROTOR BLADE STRIKE. THE FIRST ACTION WAS AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE. 2 QUESTIONED CPT JAMES G. JEFFRYES, 453-82-2010, AIRCRAFT COMMANDER ABOUT THE BLADE STRIKES. THE AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT OCCURED ON 25 MAY 1970 AT APPROXIMATELY 1615 HOURS, THREE (3) MILES NORTHWEST (MW) OF LZ UPLIFT AT COORDINATES BR 900 788. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT INCLUDED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES, MAIN ROTOR HUB, TAIL ROTOR BLADES, TAIL ROTOR HUB AND 90 DEGREE GEAR BOX. THE CREW MEMBERS RECEIVED A MISSION TO INSERT A REACTIONARY FORCE FOR FIRST BATTALION, 503D INFANTRY 173D ABN BDE AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 HOURTS 25 MAY 1970. THREE SORTIES OF TROOPS WER INSERTED. AT THAT TIME CPT JEFFRYES RECEIVED A RADIO CALL TO FOLLOW A MEDICAL EVACUATION HELICOPTER INTO A LANDING ZONE TO EXTRACT FRIENDLY CASUALITIES (KIA'S) IT WAS IN THIS LANDING ZONE THAT THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. CPT JEFFRYES ENTERED THE LANDING ZONE TO EXTRACT THE FRIENDLY KIA'S, ENTERING FROM WEST TO EAST; BUT UPON ENTERING THE LANDING ZONE THE TAIL HAD TO BE TURNED TO THE NORTHE INTO THE WIND TO ENABLE THE FRIENDLY TROOPS TO LOAD THE BODIES. THE LANDING ZONE WAS NOT SUITABLE FOR LANDING AN AIRCRAFT SO A HOVER WAS NECESSARY WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED. IT THEN RETURNED TO LZ UPLIFT AND UNLOADED. ANOTHER SORTIE WAS FLOWN TO PICK UP FRIENDLY CASUALITIES (WIA'S) AND RETURNED TO LZ UPLIFT. A SECOND SORTIE WAS THEN ORDERED INTO THE LANDING ZONE, FOR EXTRACTION OF ENEMY WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT WHICH WERE CAPTURED IN PREVIOUS ACTION AND RETURNED TO LZ UPLIFT. THE SAME PROCEDURE FOR ENTERING THE LANDING ZONE WAS USED DURING THE SECOND SORTIE. AFTER RETURNING THE CAPTURED WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT TO LZ UPLIFT THE DAMAGED SHIP WAS INSPECTED BY THE CREW AND CHECKED FOR DAMAGE.\\
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-16564
The Army purchased this helicopter 1269
Total flight hours at this point: 00000876
Date: 06/13/1971
Accident case number: 710613051
Unit: 173 ABN
The station for this helicopter was English in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 81268
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
MN W2 ATKINS HH
CE E5 ESTRADA G
G E3 CHANCY MO
Passengers:
E5 L SHEARER, TIP, G;
Accident Summary:
AT 1630 HOURS, TEST PILOT ^CW2 ATKINS^ OF D CO, BEGAN A TEST FLIGHT OF AIRCRAFT ^68-16564^, BELONGING TO THE CASPER AVIATION PLATOON, ^173RD BRIGADE^, USING ESTABLISHED AND APPROVED PROCEDURES. THE PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION AND PRE-TAKEOFF RUN-UP SHOWED NO DEVIATIONS FROM NORMAL OPERATIONAL INDICATIONS, AND A TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED. JUST AFTER THE AIRCRAFT REACHED TRANSLATIONAL LIFT, BUT WHILE STILL OUT OF THE AUTOROTATIVE FLIGHT ENVELOPE, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE AND LOST POWER. ^CW2 ATKINS^ INITIATED AUTOROTATION TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN IN THE RICE PADDIES TO HIS IMMEDIATE FRONT. AN UNUSUALLY SEVERE FLARE WAS ESTABLISHED IN ORDER IN REDUCE ALL FORWARD AIRSPEED TO KEEP FROM HITTING THE RICE DIKE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. AS THE AIRCRAFT NEARED THE GROUND IN A TAIL LOW CONFIGURATION THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING THE 90 DEGREE GEARBOX TO SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. ^CW2 ATKINS^ COMPLETED THE TOUCHDOWN, LANDING THE AIRCRAFT UPRIGHT ON THE SKIDS, WITH NO FURTHER DAMAGE.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-16564
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 1269.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 196912 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 197001 0 0 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 197002 62 62 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197003 62 124 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197004 57 181 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197005 53 234 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197006 60 294 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197007 97 391 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197008 82 473 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197009 50 523 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197010 56 579 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197011 25 604 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197012 48 652 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197101 37 689 WARJAA 173 ABN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197102 42 731 WARJAA 173 ABN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197103 42 773 WARJAA 173 ABN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197104 52 825 WARJAA 173 ABN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197105 51 876 WARJAA 173 ABN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197106 0 876 WARJAA 173 ABN BDE VIETNAM RVN 197107 6 882 WCLNAA 79 TC CO VIETNAM RVN 197108 5 887 WCLNAA 79 TC CO VIETNAM RVN
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Printed from databases on: 12/28/2016
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