The aircraft was in a pick zone awaiting loading of troops when an ARVN individual walked into the tail rotor causing incident damage to the tail rotor and drive assembly.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16712
The Army
purchased this helicopter 0867
Total flight hours at this point:
00002196
Date: 01/04/70
Accident case number: 700104101
Unit: 135
AHC
The station for this helicopter was Bear Cat in
Number killed in
accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 31398
Source(s)
from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center
database.
Crew Members:
AC W1 FOX DO
P O2 NAPPIER JW
CE E5
FISHER BP
G E3 BRYANT R
Accident Summary:
ON 4 JANUARY 1970 THE TWO AIRCRAFT INVOLVED WERE OPERATING AS CHALKS 6 AND 7 IN FLIGHT OF 8 AIRCRAFT WHICH WAS PERFORMING COMBAT ASSAULTS. THE FLIGHT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING ITS LAST PICK UP FROM THE AREA THEY WERE IN, DURING THE APPROACH TO THE PICK UP ZONE AT WS 949 435 THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, WO-1 FOX, OF CHALK 7, AIRCRAFT 66-16712, MANUEVERED HIS AIRCRAFT IN SUCH A MANNER THAT AT THE POINT OF TOUCHDOWN HIS MAIN ROTOR BLADE WAS OVERLAPPING THE TAIL ROTOR OF AIRCRAFT 67-17234. AFTER ALL SHIPS IN THE FLIGHT WERE LOADED WITH TROOPS, THE FLIGHT WAS CALLED "UP" BY THE TRAIL AIRCRAFT, AS THE FLIGHT WAS DEPARTING, CHALK 6, AIRCRAFT 67-17234, BEGAN TO BREAK GROUND, ITS TAIL ROTOR WAS STRUCK BY THE MAIN ROTOR OF CHALK 7, AIRCRAFT 66-16712. AT THIS POINT, THE PILOT OF CHALK 6, WO-1 EASTLINE, IMMEIDATELY INITIATED A HOVERING AUTOROTATION HAVING SENSED A TAIL ROTOR FAILURE BECAUSE HIS AIRCRAFT HAD BEGUN TO TURN TO THE RIGHT APPROXIMATELY 40. THE PILOT OF CHALK 7, 1LT NAPPIER, WHO WAS AT THE CONTROLS AT THE TIME, IMMEDIATELY SHUT HIS AIRCRAFT DOWN FOR HE WAS ONLY LIGHT ON THE SKIDS AT THE TIME OF THE MISHAP. AIRCRAFT 67-17234 SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM, TAIL ROTOR DRIVE TRAIN, 90 AND 42 GEAR BOXES AND THE TAIL ROTOR. AIRCRAFT 66-16712 SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR. ALL PERSONNEL EXITED THE AIRCRAFT, NO FIRST AID WAS NECESSARY AND THE PERSONNEL WERE EVACUATED TO VINH LONG AIRFIELD.\\
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number
66-16712
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 0867.
Please provide any additional information on this
helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6708 12 12 WAAXA0 COA 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6709 87 99 WAAXA0 COA 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6710 81 180 WAAXA0 COA 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6711 18 198 WAAXA0 COA 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6712 62 260 WAAXA0 COA 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6801 61 321 3261 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6802 72 393 WAAXA0 COA 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6803 89 482 3261 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6804 36 518 3261 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6805 84 602 3261 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6806 76 678 3261 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6807 113 791 3261 OPM SEA NITEOPS 1ST ARMY FORT BELVOIR AMC 6808 9 800 WAAXA0 COA 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6809 32 832 WAAXA0 COA 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6810 0 832 WAAXA0 COA 229ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6811 0 832 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 6812 0 832 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 6901 0 832 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 6902 111 943 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6903 176 1119 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6904 141 1260 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6905 136 1396 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6906 88 1484 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6907 168 1652 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6908 114 1766 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6909 101 1867 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6910 80 1947 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6911 100 2047 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6912 75 2122 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7001 74 2196 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7002 84 2280 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7003 51 2331 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7004 0 2331 WCLMAA 56 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 7005 13 2344 WD64AA 236 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7006 42 2386 WD64AA 236 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7007 57 2443 WD64AA 236 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7008 46 2489 WD64AA 236 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7009 57 2546 WD64AA 236 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7010 11 2557 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 7011 0 2557 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 7012 0 2557 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 7101 0 2557 NAT&GUARD NAT GDZI 7102 0 2557 NAT&GUARD NAT GDZI 7103 0 2557 WC5GAA 610 TC DS VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law
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