Helicopter UH-1H 66-16869

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16869
The Army purchased this helicopter 0967
Total flight hours at this point: 00001304
Date: 10/13/1969
Accident case number: 691013241 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: B/158 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Camp Evans in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 9 . . Passengers = 5
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 W1 ASHMAN RC
P O3 FAZIO JL
CE E4 MURPHY PF
G E4 PARIS RA

Passengers:
 E3 K CULL, PAX, D; E3 PR BERGERON, PAX, D; E3 C SHANNON, PAX, D; E3 J GEAN, PAX, D; E3 D DILLION, PAX, D;


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


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Printed from databases on: 05/21/2000

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