Accident Summary:
AIRCRAFT, UH-1H, 66-16869, WAS LOCATED AT MAI LOC, ON 13 OCTOBER 1969. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AT 1205 HOURS, AND THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED MAI LOC AT 1215 HOURS. THE MISSION WAS FOR FIVE AIRCRAFT TO PICK UP AN INFANTRY ELEMENT FROM A FIELD LOCATION NEAR MAI LOC AND OT PERFORM A COMBAT ASSAULT INTO AN UNOCCUPIED LANDING ZONE (48Q XD 922642). CPT. FAZIO, THE PILOT, WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT. CPT FAZIO LANDED IN THE PICK-UP ZONE, AND FIVE INFANTRYMEN BOARDED. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE PZ AT 1220 HOURS AND PROCEEDED ON A DIRECT FLIGHT TO THE VICINITY OF THE LANDING ZONE AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET AGL. TREE STUMPX, 25 TO 40 FEET TALL, WERE ON THE APPROACH ACCESS TO THE LZ. THERE WERE NO OTHER OBSTACLES TO BE CLEARED. WO1 ASHMAN, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, DECIDED THAT CPT FAZIO COULD MAKE THE APPROACH WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. A NORMAL APPROACH WAS INITIATED AT 500 FEET ABOVE THE LZ. THE AIRSPEED WAS 80 KNOTS. AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET ABOVE THE POINT OF INTENDED TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRSPEED WAS DECREASED UNTIL ZERO AIRSPEED WAS ATTAINED AT A HOVER FOUR FEET ABOVE THE LZ. THE APPROACH PATH WASAPPROXIMATELY 020 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TO BE THE SECOND HELICOPTER INTO THE LZ. THE INTERVAL BETWEEN AIRCRAFT WAS THIRTY (30) SECONDS. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT COMMANDER EXPERIENCED NO PROBLEM WITH LOOSE FLYING OBJECTS IN THE LZ, AND NO WARNING WAS GIVEN TO THE SUCCEEDING AIRCRAFT. AS THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A HOVER, THE PILOTS FELT A SLIGHT BUMP. THE CREW CHIEF REPORTED THAT DEBRIS WAS HITTING THE TAIL ROTOR. PLANKS OF VARIOUS LENGTHS, WHICH MEASURED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 INCH IN THICKNESS AND SIX INCHES UN WIDTH, WERE BEING THROWN INTO THE TAIL ROTOR BY THE MAIN ROTOR WASH. THE AIRCRAFT DIPPED FORWARD AND THE FRONT PORTION OF THE LEFT SKID STRUCK THE GROUND. THE MAIN ROTOR MADE CONTACT WITH A LARGESTUMP AND THE AIRCRAFT TURNED 90 TO 120 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, MR. ASHMAN WAS ON THE CONTROLS WITH CAPTAIN FAZIO. BOTH PILOTS MADE THE SAME CORRECTIVE MOVEMENTS; FULL FORWARD AND LEFT CYCLIC.. THE CONTROLS APPEARED STIFF. THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND ON A 20 DEGREE SLOPE. THE DAMAGED MAIN ROTOR CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROCK VIOLENTLY. THE AIRCRAFT HAD LANDED ON LOGS AND OTHER DEBRIS WHICH GAVE WAY UNDER THE SKIDS CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED THREE TO FIVE TIMES DOWN THE STEEP EMBANKMENT CAUSING EVERYONE EXCEPT WO1 ASHMAN AND CPT FAZIO TO BE THROWN OUT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 100 METERS DOWN THE HILL. THE FUEL CELLS HAD RUPTURED AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO BURN. CPT FAZIO RELEASED HIS SAFETY HARNESS AND WAS HELPED OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE CREW CHIEF, SP-4 MURPHY. MR. ASHMAN REMAINED TRAPPED IN THE WRECKAGE. HIS LEFT FOOT WAS PINNED BY THE PEDALS. CPT FAZIO TURNED OFF THE FUEL AS THE GUNNER, SP4 PARIS, AND THE CREW CHIEF FREED MR. ASHMAN'S FOOT AND PULLED HIM OUT.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16869
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 0967.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6709 7 7 9221 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6710 0 7 9221 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6711 0 7 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6712 0 7 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6801 1 8 W0MCAA RED RIVER AD 4TH ARMY RED RIVER AD AMC 6802 101 109 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6803 118 227 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6804 75 302 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6805 109 411 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6806 81 492 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6807 127 619 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6808 73 692 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6809 63 755 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6810 72 827 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6811 121 948 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6812 15 963 WSZAAA 357 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6901 0 963 WSZAAA 357 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6902 0 963 WSZAAA 357 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6903 0 963 3154 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6904 8 971 WSZAAA 357 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6905 30 1001 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC VIETNAM RVN 6906 47 1048 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC VIETNAM RVN 6907 90 1138 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC VIETNAM RVN 6908 82 1220 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC VIETNAM RVN 6909 84 1304 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870
Printed from databases on: 05/21/2000
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