An abrupt flare was executed on final to avoid hitting the aircraft in formation ahead of the subject aircraft. The tail boom struck water.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16273
The Army
purchased this helicopter 0467
Total flight hours at this point:
00002378
Date: 03/02/70
Accident case number: 700302301 Total loss or
fatality Accident
Unit: 119 AHC
The station for this helicopter was
Pleiku in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: BR484913
Number killed in
accident = 0 . . Injured = 1 . . Passengers = 0
costing 244345
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, Also 1970 Unit History (Operations Report.
)
Summary: Lost power during extraction.
Loss to Inventory
Crew
Members:
AC W1 NORTON TD
P W1 WILSON DO
CE E4 WALTERS TG
G E4
MILLS T
Accident Summary:
AIRCRAFT SN 66-16273, WAS THE SECOND AIRCRAFT ON A LANDING ZONE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT MADE ITS APPROACH AND THEN CALLED TAKING-OFF. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE SECOND AIRCRAFT WAS BREAKING OVER THE TREELINE FOR LANDING. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT HAD TO ABORT THE TAKE-OFF DUE TO RPM LOSS; IT SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND TAKING THE ONLY CLEAR SPACE WITHIN THE LANDING ZONE. SEEING THIS, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER OF THE SECOND AIRCRAFT HAD TO TERMINATE THIS APPROACH SHORT AND TO THE LEFT OF THE INTENDED POINT AT ABOUT A 8-10 FOOT HOVER. THIS WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE 6-8 FOOT TREE STUMPS WHICH COVERED THE LANDING ZONE. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS HOVERED FOREWARD, IT BEGAN A SLOW SPIN TO THE RIGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER RAN OUT OF LEFT PEDAL CONTROL. THE SPIN BECAME FASTER AS 2-3 REVOLUTIONS WERE COMPLETED. AS THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER AND PILOT BEGAN TO CUT THE THROTTLE, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANCER OF THE LEAD AIRCRAFT RADIOED FOR THEM TO CHOP THE THROTTLE. A HOVERING AUTOROTATION WAS EXECUTED WITH THE AIRCRAFT HITTING THE GROUND ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND AND CAME THROUGH THE COCKPIT AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED BACK ON THE SKIDS.\\
War Story:
The 119th AHC unit history records: During the extraction
of 2d Bde, 4th Inf Div troops 7 KM west of FSB SUSIE, Gator 273, piloted by WO1
Norton, hovered down to the PZ when the aircraft's RPM started bleeding.
Instantaneously the aircraft fell through. WO1 Norton cut the throttle when he
suddenly experienced the loss of the left pedal, but the aircraft started to
spin. The tail hit a stump and the aircraft rolled on its side. The aircraft was
a total loss and WO1 Norton was hospitalized due to head injuries. WO1 Wilson,
SP4 Mills, SP4 Williams and six paxs on board were not injured. Editor's Note:
The unit history records the date at 25 Feb
This record was last updated on 07/05/98
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1D tail number
66-16273
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 0467.
Please provide any additional information on this
helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6704 17 17 WFM9AA 135 AVN CO 4THARMY FORT HOOD 4TH ARMY 6705 49 66 WFM9AA 135 AVN CO 4THARMY FORT HOOD 4TH ARMY 6706 34 100 WFM9AA 135 AVN CO 4THARMY FORT HOOD 4TH ARMY 6707 40 140 WFM9AA 135 AVN CO 4THARMY FORT HOOD 4TH ARMY 6708 37 177 WFM9AA 135 AVN CO 4THARMY FORT HOOD 4TH ARMY 6709 0 177 WFM9AA 135 AVN CO 4THARMY FORT HOOD 4TH ARMY 6710 4 181 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6711 74 255 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6712 38 293 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6801 90 383 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6802 46 429 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6803 162 591 3380 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6804 144 735 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6805 57 792 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6806 117 909 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6807 121 1030 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6808 126 1156 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6809 100 1256 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6810 139 1395 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6811 98 1493 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6812 113 1606 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6901 47 1653 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6902 128 1781 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6903 154 1935 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6904 96 2031 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6905 74 2105 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6906 79 2184 WDFHAA HHC 520T BN34GP VIETNAM RVN 6907 0 2184 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6908 0 2184 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6909 0 2184 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6910 0 2184 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6911 0 2184 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6912 0 2184 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7001 43 2227 WAYAAA 119 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7002 141 2368 WAYAAA 119 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7003 10 2378 WC5CAA 604 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7004 0 2378 WC5CAA 604 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN
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