Helicopter UH-1H 68-16366

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-16366
The Army purchased this helicopter 1069
Total flight hours at this point: 00000797
Date: 04/16/1970
Accident case number: 700416051 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 176 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Chu Lai in
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 3754
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 IRLAND BE
P W1 COMPTON ED

Passengers:
. X1 , DNI, A;


Accident Summary:

. ARVN SOLDIER WALKED INTO T/R CAUSING 90 DEGREE GEARBOX SEP \


Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-16366
The Army purchased this helicopter 1069
Total flight hours at this point: 00001098
Date: 07/01/1970
Accident case number: 700701041
Unit: 175 AHC
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 18000
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 EASTLAND FL
P W1 EDWARDS JR
CE E3 RAGSDALE KL
G E4 PROCTOR G

Passengers:
. O3 DD SIMCOE, MS, G;


Accident Summary:

. 3. AIRCRAFT ^68-15366^ DEPARTED SADEC ON A MISSION TO CAN THO AT APPROXIMATELY 0855 HRS. THE AIRCRAFT AND CREW HAD BEEN FLYING FOR 01+10 PRIOR TO THIS TAKE-OFF FROM SADEC. THE FLIGHT TO THIS POINT HAD BEEN NORMAL EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION OIL TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT. THE TRANSMISSION OIL TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE GAUGES HAD BEEN INDICATING WITHIN THEIR NORMAL RANGE. ON CLIMB-OUT FROM SADEC, THE PILOT TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE TRANSMISSION OIL TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, STAYED ON FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES, THEN WENT OUT. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER, THE ENGINE CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT CAME ON AND THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND STARTED A DECENDING RIGHT TURN BACK TOWARDS SADEC. THE RPM AUDIO WARNING THEN CAME ON, BUT THE ROTOR TACH WAS STILL IN THE GREEN. THE PILOT RECYCLED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR THE WARNING SYSTEM, AND AT ALMOST THE SAME TIME, A LOUD GROAN OR BINDING NOISE WAS HEARD. THE ENGINE SURGED AND THEN STARTED TO LOOSE RPM. N1 WAS NOTICED TO BE 50% AND DECREASING. THE AC ENTERED AUTOROTATION AT APPROXIMATELY 800FT. MSL OVER RELATIVELY FLAT TERRAIN WITH TREES AND BRUSH 20-30 FEET HIGH. WO1 EASTLAND NOTICED THE ROTOR RPM START TO DECAY AND ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY THIS BY BOTH A SLIGHT FLARE AND ADDING RIGHT PEDAL, BOTH TO NO AVAIL. SEEING THAT HE WOULD BE SHORT OF HIS INTENDED LANDING POINT, ^WO1 EASTLAND^ AC ELECTED TO LAND IN THE TREES RATHER THAN ATTEMPT TO EXTEND HIS GLIDE PATH FURTHER. HE ZEROED OUT HIS AIR SPEED OVER AN AREA OF LOW TREES AND SETTLED IN USING MAXIMUM PITCH. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TREES WITH NO FORWARD SPEED, AND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE GROUND DIRECTLY BENEATH THE AIRCRAFT WAS CUT BY A DRAINAGE DITCH, AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ACROSS THIS BRINGING UNEVENLY DISTRIBUTED PRESSURE TO BEAR ON THE SKIDS CAUSING THEM TO BUCKLE. (SEE TAB 9 #4 AND #6). THE CREW MEMBERS IMMEDIATELY EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT AND WERE PICKED UP AT APPROXIMATELY 0920 HRS BY A CH-47 WHO HEARD THE MAY DAY CALL. THERE WAS NO FIRE AND NO INJURIES.\\


Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-16366
The Army purchased this helicopter 1069
Total flight hours at this point: 00001098
Date: 08/29/1970
Accident case number: 700829041
Unit: 176 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Chu Lai in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 1700
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 FRAZEE DH
P O2 HIGGINBOTHAM OR
CE E4 AYLES RL

Accident Summary:

. LZ REQUIRED HIG HOVER AND VERTICAL DESCENT TO LAND. JUST BEFORE TOUCH DOWN IN LZ, TAIL ROTOR CAME INTO CONTACT WITH A SVALL BUSH. AC HEARD A BUZZING NOISE FROM REAR OF ACFT AND ASDED CREW CHIEF HAD HE MADE CONTACT WITH ANYTHING AND HE SAID HE HAD. NO VIBRATION WAS EXPERIENCED ON ACFT SO AC FLEW ACFT BACK TO HOME STATION TO CHECK FOR DAMAGE.\\


The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-16366
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 1069.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6910   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
6911  96   96 WC43AA 175 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
6912 172  268 WC43AA 175 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7001 142  410 WC43AA 175 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7002 155  565 WC43AA 175 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7003 127  692 WC43AA 175 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7004 105  797 WC43AA 175 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7005 202  999 WC43AA 175 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7006  99 1098 WC43AA 175 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7007   0 1098 WHB1AA 166 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     
7008   0 1098 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7009   0 1098 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7010   0 1098 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7011   0 1098 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7012   0 1098 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7101   0 1098                         NAT&GUARD                   NAT GDZI
7102   0 1098                         NAT&GUARD                   NAT GDZI
7103   0 1098 W2WJAA BEL HEL          BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVSCOM      
7104   5 1103 W2WJAA BEL HEL          BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVSCOM      
7105  14 1117 WAX7AA 114 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7106  25 1142 WAX7AA 114 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7107  37 1179 WAX7AA 114 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7108  74 1253 WAX7AA 114 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7109  35 1288 WAX7AA 114 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7110  23 1311 WAX7AA 114 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7111  16 1327 WAX7AA 114 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     


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