Helicopter UH-1H 68-15571

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15571
The Army purchased this helicopter 0469
Total flight hours at this point: 00000485
Date: 03/03/1970
Incident number: 700303381ACD Accident case number: 700303381 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: HHB/4/77 ARA 101 ABN
The station for this helicopter was Phu Bai in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 5 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 4
costing 500945
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:
P WO1 WALDING JARED BRUCE KIA
AC CW2 PAWLAK RICHARD VICTOR KIA

Passengers:
 SP4 BRUMMET PAUL DOUGLAS, AR, PX, KIA;


Accident Summary:

 AT APPROXIMATELY 1915 HOURS ON 3 MARCH 1970 THE S-3 OF 4/77 ARTILLERY RECEIVED A MESSAGE STATING THAT TWO AIRCRAFT FROM THE UNIT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A GROUND ACCIDENT AT LZ SALLY (YD 637274). THE BATTALION SAFETY OFFICER WAS NOTIFIED AND PREPARED TO LEAVE FOR THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT IN A UH-1H FROM THE HEADQUARTERS AVIATION SECTION. THE SAFETY OFFICER AND THE PILOT, WO1 WALDING, TOOK THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT THE USUAL CREWMEMBERS AS THEY HAD TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY AND THE CREWCHIEF AND GUNNER WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME. AT APPROXIMATELY 1925 HOURS 3 MARCH 1970 THE BATTALION XO WAS NOTIFIED BY RADIO OF THE GROUND ACCIDENT AT 6Z SALLY AND HE PROCEEDED TO THAT LOCATION IN A AH-1G, WITH CW2 PAWLAK AS CO-PILOT BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 2030 AND 2100 ON 3 MARCH 1970 THE CO-PILOT, CW2 PAWLAK, FROM THE XO'S AH-1G SWITCHED PLACES WITH THE SAFETY OFFICER IN THE UH-1H. THIS WAS DONE SO THE SAFETY OFFICER COULD RETURN TO HIS HEADQUARTERS AND INITIATE THE REQUIRED REPORTS. THE UH-1H WAS TO TAKE THE PILOTS FROM THE GROUND ACCIDENT AT LZ SALLY BACK TO CAMP EVANS AND THEN RETURN WITH A SECURITY FORCE TO GUARD THE WRECKAGE UNTIL THE ACCIDENT COULD BE INVESTIGATED AT FIRST LIGHT. THE UH-1H, DEPARTED WITH WO1 WALDING AS PILOT AND CW2 PAWLAK AS CO-PILOT FROM LZ SALLY FOR CAMP EVANS WITH THE FOUR PILOTS WHO HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THE GROUND ACCIDENT. WO1 WALDING RADIOED BACK TO THE 4/77 TOC THAT HE WAS AT CAMP EVANS AND WAS GOING TO WAIT FOR THE SECURITY FORCE TO GET READY. AT APPROXIMATELY 2130 HOURS 3 MARCH 1970 WG1 WALDING CALLED EVANS TOWER FOR TAKEOFF FROM THE C/4/77 ARA "HOT SPOT". HE REQUESTED A SOUTH TAKEOFF AND THIS WAS GRANTED WITH WINDS GIVEN AS 300 DEGREES AT 14 KNOTS AND ALTIMETER OF 29.81. AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME (2130) THERE WERE TWO ARTILLERY BATTERIES ACTIVE ON THE SOUTHERN PERIMETER OF CAMP EVANS. THEY WERE FIRING ON AZIMUTHS OF 120 DEGREES. WO1 WALDING MUST HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS AS HE REQUESTED A SOUTH DEPARTURE WHICH WOULD HAVE KEPT HIM CLEAR OF THE GUN TARGET LINE DURING TAKEOFF. WO1 WALDING CALLED ON THE BATTALION CF NET STATING THAT HE WAS OFF CAMP EVANS ENROUTE TO CAMP SALLY, THEN TO CAMP EAGLE, ETA 25 TO 30 MINS. THIS WAS THE LAST RADIO CONTACT WITH 571 AND THIS TRANSMISSION WAS ONLY HEARD BY C/4/77 AT CAMP EVANS. AN INFANTRY GROUND RECON FORCE WAS IN THEIR NDP AT COORDINATES YD 543253. TWO OF THE SIX MEN WERE AWAKE ON GUARD WHEN THEY HEARD AN AIRCRAFT. IT APPEARED TO BE HEADING SOUTHEAST FROM CAMP EVANS AT A FAIRLY LOW ALTITUDE. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 3 KILOMETERS TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE NDP IT HEADED SOUTH FOR A SHORT TIME THEN TURNED TO THE SOUTHWEST OVERFLYING THE NDP. THE TWO WITNESSES WATCHED THE AIRCRAFT MAINTAIN A GENERAL HEADING OF SOUTHWEST WHICH WAS LEADING IT TOWARD A HIGH RIDGE LINE WHICH IS OVER 1500' MSL. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE AT APPROXIMATELY 200' AGL. ONE WITNESS REMARKED THAT THE LIGHTS ON THE AIRCRAFT, BOTH NAVIGATIONAL AND ROTATING BEACON, WERE VISIBLE AS IT PASSED HIM AND CONTINUED TO THE SOUTHWEST. THE LIGHTS THEN APPEARED TO GO OUT AND THE WITNESSES HEARD A LOUD THRASHING SOUND, SIMILAR TO ROTOR BLADES STRIKING FOILAGE. THE AIRCRAFT LIGHTS REAPPEARED AND THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO BE CLIMBING BUT IT WAS WOBBLING AS IF IT HAD PROBLEMS. THE AIRCRAFT THEN LOST ALTITUDE RAPIDLY AND CRASHED RESULTING IN FATAL INFURIES TO THE FIVE PERSONS ON BOARD. A POST CRASH FIRE ERUPTED WITHIN 10 - 15 SECONDS.\\


War Story:
Pawlak was flying with a Toro B/4/17 aircraft on a CCN. When the mission aborted they returned to Camp Sally for fuel. Two AH-1G's from C/4/17 ARA meshed blades in a CH-47 refuel pad. The battalion safety officer arrived in a UH-1 and for some reason Rich swapped seats and joined the pilot (FNG). They were sent to Camp Evans to get a guard force to secure the two AH-1G's. On return to Sally, now after dark and marginal weather, they crashed. The aircraft went inverted and burned with no survivors. from CWO Jack Taber, the accident investigating officer, July 1997

This record was last updated on 05/25/1998


The following is crew member information for this incident:


Name: SP4 Paul Douglas Brummet
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/03/1970 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Age at death: 21.4
Date of Birth: 09/26/1948
Home City: Willows, CA
Service: component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: HHB/4/77 ARA 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13W-077
Short Summary: Crashed into a hill at night after leaving LZ Evans to go to LZ Sally with security element for other 4/77 ARA aircraft.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15571
SSN: 562729814
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67Y20 = AH-1 Attack Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Started Tour: 02/23/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Thua Thien Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Protestant - other churches
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 08/27/1997



Name: SP4 Danny Dean Hanks
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/03/1970 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Age at death: 19.5
Date of Birth: 08/15/1950
Home City: Jennings, LA
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: HHB/4/77 ARA 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13W-078
Short Summary: Crashed into a hill at night after leaving LZ Evans to go to LZ Sally with security element for other 4/77 ARA aircraft.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15571
SSN: 439786332
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67Y20 = AH-1 Attack Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Started Tour: 07/14/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Thua Thien Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 08/27/1997



Name: SP4 George Geoffrey Karr
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/03/1970 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Age at death: 23.0
Date of Birth: 03/02/1947
Home City: Tigard, OR
Service: component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: HHB/4/77 ARA 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13W-078
Short Summary: Crashed into a hill at night after leaving LZ Evans to go to LZ Sally with security element for other 4/77 ARA aircraft.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15571
SSN: 544525921
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67Y20 = AH-1 Attack Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Started Tour: 07/29/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Thua Thien Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Protestant - no denominational preference
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 08/27/1997



Name: CW2 Richard Victor Pawlak
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/03/1970 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 35.9
Date of Birth: 03/26/1934
Home City: Cleveland, OH
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/4/77 ARA 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Flight class: 67-25
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13W-079
Short Summary: Crashed into a hill at night after leaving LZ Evans to go to LZ Sally in a HHB/4/77 ARA aircraft with WO Walding.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15571
Call sign: TORO
SSN: 287265838 Service number: W3160001
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 6710
Primary cause: A/C Accident
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Started Tour: 03/26/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 16
Location: Thua Thien Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 08/27/1997



Name: WO1 Jared Bruce Walding
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/03/1970 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 22.5
Date of Birth: 08/20/1947
Home City: Columbus, GA
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: HHB/4/77 ARA 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Flight class: 69-39/69-37
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 13W-080
Short Summary: Crashed into a hill at night after leaving LZ Evans to go to LZ Sally with security element for other 4/77 ARA aircraft.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15571
SSN: 260760079
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100E = Attack Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: A/C Accident
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 01/04/1970
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Location: Thua Thien Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 08/27/1997


The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15571
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 0469.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6904   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
6905   0    0 3300   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6906  17   17 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6907  23   40 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6908 108  148 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6909  84  232 WFJ8T0 4-77 ATY 101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6910  56  288 WFJ8T0 4-77 ATY 101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6911  62  350 WFJ8T0 4-77 ATY 101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6912  59  409 WFJ8T0 4-77 ATY 101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7001  54  463 WFJ8T0 4-77 ATY 101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7002  22  485 WFJ8T0 4-77 ATY 101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     


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Printed from databases on: 05/21/2000

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