ON THE 7TH OF JANUARY 1973 I WAS NOTIFIED BY THE CAMP HOLLOWAY SAFETY OFFICER THAT I WAS TO BE THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER ON AN ACCIDENT. AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 HRS ON THE 7TH OF JANUARY, I WENT TO THE CRASH SCENE TO ATTEMPT TO RECOVER THE AIRCRAFT AND UNDERTAKE THE INVESTIGATION.\\ THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON THE 7TH OF JANUARY 1970, AT ABOUT 10:45 HRS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS A UH-1H, TAIL NUMBER 68-15686 AND IT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 57TH AHC APO SF 96499. THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST PICKED UP FIVE PASSENGERS IN A PICKUP ZONE, KON HORING HELIPAD APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES SOUTHEAST OF DAK TO AIRFIELD.\\ AIRCRAFT SUFFERED A HARD LANDING AND ROLLED ON ITS RIGHT SIDE AFTER THE INITIAL IMPACT (PHOTO #3). THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE SKIDS AND CROSSTUBES, MAIN ROTOR BLADES, HUB ASSEMBLY AND A SEVERING OF ONE OF THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES. THE FUEL GAGE INDICATED ONE-THOUSAND POUNDS OF FUEL ON BOARD.\\ADDITIONAL DAMAGE WAS CAUSED TO THE RIGHT CARGO DOOR, CHIN BUBBLES AND RIGHT OR 1ST PILOT WINDSCREEN. THIS DAMAGE RESULTED FROM THE AIRCRAFT COMING TO REST ON IT'S RIGHT SIDE.\\ THE FIRST SIGN OF TROUBLE CAME WHEN THE CREW HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WO1 WEBER, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN RPM AFTER TAKING CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AWAY FROM WO1 WHITE, THE FIRST PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AND RELLED ON IT'S RIGHT SIDE. BOTH THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER AND THE 1ST PILOT STATED THAT ALL ENGINE INSTRUMENTS WERE INDICATING NORMALLY AT TAKEOFF. THE FIRST INDICATION OF ANY TROUBLE WAS THE LOUD NOISE HEARD ORIGINATING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED, BOUNCED ONCE MORE BECOMING AIRBORNE AND CAME TO REST ON IT'S RIGHT SIDE. EVERYONE IN THE AIRCRAFT ESCAPED WITHOUT INJURY EXCEPT THE GUNNER WHO SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. ALL INDICATIONS POINT TO A COMPRESSOR STALL AS BEING THE FACTOR THAT LED TO THE LOSS OF POWER. THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER IN HEAVILY LOADED AIRCRAFT TAKING OFF IN A GENERALLY DOWNWIND DIRECTION DID NOT LEAVE MANY, IF ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO THE CREW. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT LOW ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. WO1 WEBER CHOSE TO LAND IN THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT IN A CLEARING ALONGSIDE A ROAD. THE ONLY BARRIER OBSERVED WAS THE BARBED WIRE FENCE WHERE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST.\\ AFTER ARRIVAL AT THE CRASH SITE, PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN, WITNESSES WERE LOCATED AND INTERVIEWED AND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE WAS EXAMINED. AFTER RECOVERY OF THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER RETURNED TO KONTUM TO CONTINUE WITNESS INTERVIEWS AND TO CHECK AIRCRAFT AND FLIGHT RECORDS. SUBSEQUENT TRIPS WERE MADE TO KONTUM TO INSURE ALL AVAILABLE EVIDENCE HAD BEEN OBTAINED. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS SUBMITTED FOR TEARDOWN ANALYSIS.\\
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15686
Date: 05/24/1973
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: CR105335
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: VNAF (South Vietnamese Air Force. )
Loss to Inventory
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15686
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 0569.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6905 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 6906 27 27 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN 6907 86 113 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN 6908 109 222 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN 6909 111 333 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN 6910 143 476 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN 6911 116 592 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN 6912 140 732 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN 7001 26 758 WC5CAA 604 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7002 0 758 WC5CAA 604 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7003 0 758 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7004 0 758 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7005 0 758 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7006 0 758 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7007 0 758 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7008 0 758 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7009 0 758 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7010 0 758 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7011 0 758 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7012 0 758 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7101 0 758 NAT&GUARD NAT GDZI 7102 0 758 NAT&GUARD NAT GDZI 7103 0 758 W2WJAA BEL HEL BAILMENT FT WORTH AVSCOM 7104 4 762 W2WJAA BEL HEL BAILMENT FT WORTH AVSCOM 7105 71 833 WAX6AA 92 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7106 100 933 WAX6AA 92 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7107 99 1032 WAX6AA 92 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7108 102 1134 WAX6AA 92 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7109 90 1224 WAX6AA 92 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7110 62 1286 WAX6AA 92 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7111 0 1286 WAX6AA 92 AHC VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870
Printed from databases on: 07/04/2000
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