. THE ^335TH ASSAULT HELICOPTER COMPANY^ WAS SUPPORTING THE ^9TH ARVN DIVISION^ ON THE ^8TH OF FEBRUARY 1969^. THE APPROACH IN QUESTION WAS THE FIRST OF THE DAY INTO ^XS 686495^, THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE COMPANY WAS EXECUTING A COMBAT ASSAULT UTILIZING TEN SHIPS IN A STAGGERED LEFT FORMATION WITH TWO GUNSHIPS FLYING IN SUPPORT. AIRCRAFT ^66-16363^ WAS CHALK NUMBER 6 IN THE FORMATION PLACING THEM IN THE LEFT HAND FILE BETWEEN CHALK 4 TO THEIR FRONT AND CHALK 8 TO THEIR REAR. THE SHIP HAD A NORMAL CREW OF FOUR PLUS SIX ARVN SOLDIERS AND TWO US SOLDIERS. NEGATIVE ENEMY FIRE WAS RECEIVED BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER THE ASSAULT. THE WIND WAS ESTIMATED TO BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE. THE APPROACH WAS CONSIDERED NORMAL WITH NORMAL SEPARATION, AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE. DURING THE COURSE OF THE APPROACH, WHILE AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY FIVE FEET AND AN AIRSPEED OF TWENTY KNOTS, ^WO1 WELLS^, FLYING AS AIRCRAFT COMMANDER IN AIRCRAFT ^66-16363^, OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DIRECTLY IN FRONT (CHALK 4) EXECUTE AN ABRUPT DECELERATION. IN ORDER TO AVOID STRIKING CHALK 4, ^MR. WELLS^ FOUND IT NECESSARY TO ENTER A DECELERATING ALTITUDE ALSO. DUE TO THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF A DIKE UNDER HIS AIRCRAFT, HE WAS UNABLE TO APPLY SUFFICIENT REAR CYCLIC TO STOP HIS FORWARD MOVEMENT, AND OUT OF NECESSITY VEERED HIS AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT. WHEN ^363^ WAS PUT INTO ITS DECELERATING ATTITUDE, CHALK 8 DIRECTLY BEHIND WAS PLACED IN A POSITION WHERE HE ALSO HAD TO DECELERATE AND VEER TO HIS LEFT TO AVOID STRIKING ^363^. THE MOVEMENT CARRIED CHALK 8 TO THE LEFT OF CHALK 6. THE CREW CHIEF OF CHALK 6 NOTICED THIS CONDITION AND WARNED ^MR. WELLS^ NOT TO MOVE FURTHER LEFT. IN REACTION TO THIS SITUATION ^MR. WELLS^ MOVED HIS AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT. AT THIS TIME GUNNER ^MR. WELLS^ OF THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF AN AIRCRAFT ON HIS RIGHT (CHALK 4). IN RESPONSE TO THIS INFORMATION, ^MR. WELLS^ LEVELED HIS AIRCRAFT AND TO AVOID STRIKING THOSE AIRCRAFT AROUND HIM MOVED IN THE ONLY DIRECTION AVAILABLE TO HIM, HIS LEFT FRONT. ^MR. WELLS^ IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLEAR A SMALL TREE AND DIKE LINE IN THIS NEW DIRECTION, PULLED ALL AVAILABLE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT AT THIS POINT RAN OUT OF POWER, LOST RPM AND SETTLED ONTO A DIKE WITH THE AIRCRAFT FACING TO THE RIGHT OF THE APPROACH HEADING. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CLIPPED OFF THE TOP OF A TREE TO THE LEFT OF THE AIRCRAFT. ON CONTACT WITH THE DIKE THE CROSS TUBES COLLAPSED TO THE REAR WITH THE BASIC BODY OF THE AIRCRAFT RESTING ON A DIKE. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY THE CREW MEMBERS OR PASSENGERS. THE CREW, WEAPONS AND RADIOS FROM THE AIRCRAFT WERE EVACUATED TO A SECURE AREA AND SUBSEQUENTLY RETURNED TO ^BEARCAT^.\\
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16363
The Army purchased this helicopter 0567
Total flight hours at this point: 00000943
Date: 04/13/1970
Incident number: 700413351ACD Accident case number: 700413351 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 114 AHC
South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 2 . . Injured = 2 . . Passengers = 0
costing 327504
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 (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
AC W1 FRISBIE RC
P W1 HAMPTON RL
CE SP5 CRAWFORD STANLEY WENDEL KIA
G PFC HULSEY JAMES AUBREY KIA
Accident Summary:
. AIRCRAFT 66-16363 DEPARTED MOC HOA AIRFIELD TO THE NORTH AND TURNED RIGHT OVER THE CITY ENROUTE TO TUYEN NHON. APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES AFTER TAKE OFF AND AT AN ALTITUDE OF 300 TO 400 FEET A SAMPAN WAS SPOTTED AND A DESCENT WAS INITIATED TO APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 20 FEET ABOVE THE RIVER. WITH AN AIRSPEED OF 90 TO 95 KNOTS THE CREW TURNED THEIR HEADS TO THE LEFT AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED AND IMMEDIATELY SANK IN 15-20 FEET OF WATER APPROXIMATELY, 125 METERS FROM WHERE THE SAMPAN WAS PARKED. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT BURN. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER AND PILOT ATTEMPTED TO SAVE THE GUNNER BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CREW CHIEF NEVER SURFACED. VIETNAMESE CIVILIANS RESCUED THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER AND PILOT FROM THE WATER AND TOOK THEM TO THE NAVY DOCKS AT MOC HOA. THE BODIES OF THE CREW CHIEF AND GUNNER WERE RECOVERED APPROXIMATELY 0730 HOURS, 15 APRIL BY THE NAVY AND EVACUATED TO THE DISPENSARY AT VINH LONG, IDENTIFIED, THEN MOVED TO THE MORGUE AT CAN THO. SP4 CRAWFORD'S BODY WAS LOCATED AT XS 056896 AND SP4 HULSEY'S BODY WAS PICKED UP AT XS 056894. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS FROM DROWNING.\\
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998
The following is crew member information for this incident:
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16363
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 0567.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6705 18 18 2425 ARMY AVN DIV 6TH ARMY DUGWAY PG TEVALCOM 6706 26 44 2425 USARV FLT DET VIETNAM RVN 6707 25 69 2425 USARV FLT DET VIETNAM RVN 6708 38 107 2425 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6709 0 107 2425 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6710 0 107 2425 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6711 37 144 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6712 0 144 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6801 62 206 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6802 14 220 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6803 17 237 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6804 104 341 3278 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6805 62 403 3278 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6806 0 403 WCLMAA 56 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6807 1 404 WCLMAA 56 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6808 33 437 WCLMAA 56 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6809 64 501 WCLMAA 56 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6810 102 603 WCLMAA 56 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6811 27 630 WCLMAA 56 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6812 73 703 WGPQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6901 117 820 WGPQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6902 12 832 WCLMAA 56 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6903 0 832 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 6904 0 832 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6905 0 832 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6906 0 832 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6907 0 832 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6908 0 832 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6909 0 832 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6910 0 832 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6911 0 832 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6912 0 836 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 7001 0 836 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 7002 0 836 3300 7 CORPS SPT COM GERMANY EUROPE 7003 107 943 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
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