Helicopter UH-1H 69-15702

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 69-15702
The Army purchased this helicopter 0970
Total flight hours at this point: 00000311
Date: 02/24/1971
Accident case number: 710224151 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 114 AHC
South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 5 . . Passengers = 1
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 (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
AC W2 PALMER JK
P W1 SANDERSON SG
CE E5 STOGNER JW
G E4 THOMAS J

Passengers:
. X1 DOYLE, PAX, D;

Accident Summary:

. THE CREW WAS ASSIGNED A ROUTINE MISSION BY THE ^114TH ASSAULT HELICOPTER COMPANY OPERATIONS^ TO CARRY THE 9TH ARVN DIVISION SENIOR ADVISOR ABOUT HIS AREA OF OPERATIONS. THEY DEPARTED VINH LONG AT APPROXIMATELY 0645 HOURS AND ARRIVED AT CHI LANG AT APPROXIMATELY 0745 HOURS, REFUELED AND FLEW IN THE LOCAL AREA FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS. THIS PORTION OF THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL. AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 HOURS THE CREW RETURNED TO CHI LANG TO REFUEL.A NORMAL REFUELING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. AFTER REFUELING, ^CW2 PALMER^, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, WAS AT THE CONTROLS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BROUGHT TO A HOVER AND A 90-DEGREE PEDAL TURN INTO THE WIND AT 090-DEGREES WAS INITIATED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS HOVERED SIDEWARD TO THE CNETER OF THE FIELD AND A HOVER CHECK WAS PERFORMED. ALL INSTRUMENTS WERE NORMAL WITH 32-POUNDS OF TORQUE ON TAKEOFF.\\ THE TAKEOFF WAS A NORMAL SKID LEVEL TAKEOFF. AT APPROXIMATELY SEVEN FEET OFF THE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT HAD A SUDDEN COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER INITIATED A HOVERING AUTOROTATION. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHDOWNED WITH FORWARD MOTION AND THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM AND SEVERED THE VERTICAL FIN FROM THE TAIL BOOM (TAB 9, PICTURES 3+4). THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO IT'S RIGHT SIDE AND THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND AND SEVERED THE MAST (TAB 9, PICTURES 5 & 6). THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON IT'S RIGHT SIDE AND THE CREW ESCAPED THROUGH THE LEFT DOORS WITH ONLY MONOR SCRATCHES AND BRUISES. THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE AND THE NOSE, CAVIN, AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. THE FIRE INITIALLY WAS A GRASS FIRE CAUSED FROM THE EXHAUST. THE CREW AND BYSTANDERS ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE GRASS FIRE BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE, BUT TO NO AVAIL. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO BURN, THE CREW AND BYSTANDERS STOOD CLEAR OF THE SCENCE FOR FEAR OF AN EXPLOSION FROM THE FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT.\\

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 69-15702
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 0970.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
7009   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
7010   0    0 WHB1AA 166 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     
7011   0    0 WCLSAA 388 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     
7012 151  151 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7101 160  311 WAX7AA 114 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7102   0  311 WAX7AA 114 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN

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