ACFT DESCENDING TO PICK-UP FIVE PATIENTS IN INSECURE PZ SMALLERTHAN ACFT RESULTING IN BLADE STRIKE ICDT DAM \
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15578
The Army purchased this helicopter 0469
Total flight hours at this point: 00000485
Date: 12/07/1969
Unit: 54 MED DET
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was UNK
This was a Rescue and Recovery mission for Medical Evacuation
While in PickUp Zone this helicopter was Landing at 0003 feet and 020 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 4 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Right Side
Systems damaged were: GEAR BOX, TAIL ROTOR, FLT CONTROLS
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: BDART, 00246 (Battle Damage Assessment and Reporting Team Report. )
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15578
The Army purchased this helicopter 0469
Total flight hours at this point: 00000660
Date: 03/11/1970
Unit: 54 MED DET
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was UNK
This was a Rescue and Recovery mission for Medical Evacuation
While in PickUp Zone this helicopter was Landing at 0050 feet and 060 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 6 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Bottom
Systems damaged were: MAIN ROTOR SYS, INSTRUMENTS
The helicopter made a Precautionary Landing. Aircraft is later recovered by any means other than its own power.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: BDART, 01576 (Battle Damage Assessment and Reporting Team Report. )
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15578
The Army purchased this helicopter 0469
Total flight hours at this point: 00000771
Date: 05/20/1970
Unit: 54 MED DET
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was UNK
This was a Rescue and Recovery mission for Medical Evacuation
While in PickUp Zone this helicopter was on the Ground at 0000 feet and 000 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 4 hits from:
Explosive Weapon; Non-Artillery launched or static weapons containing explosive charges. (81MM MOR, 7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Right Side causing Fragmentation Damage.
Systems damaged were: HYDRAULIC SYS
Aircraft is later recovered by any means other than its own power.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: BDART, 01889 (Battle Damage Assessment and Reporting Team Report. )
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15578
The Army purchased this helicopter 0469
Total flight hours at this point: 00001070
Date: 09/28/1970
Accident case number: 700928171
Unit: 54 MED DET
The station for this helicopter was Chu Lai in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 97319
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
AC W2 HALE GL
P W1 PETTIT HM
Accident Summary:
THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY "FIRST UP" ON 28 SEP 70. HE AND HIS CREW ACCOMPLISHED THEIR PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND AIRCRAFT RUN-UP AT 0700. THE FIRST MISSION OF THE DAY WAS AT 0815. DURING THE COURSE OF THAT MISSION MR. HALE ACCOMPLISHED THE DER CHECK. THEY RETURNED FROM THAT MISSION AT 0930. THE CREW LEFT FOR ANOTHER MISSION AT 1150. THEY RETURNED AT 1315 AND HAD LUNCH. AT 1415 THE FIRST UP CREW WENT OUT FOR THE THIRD TIME THAT DAY. THEY RETURNED TO POL AT 1500 AND REFUELED. THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED 1300 LBS OF FUEL. BEFORE RETURNING TO KY HA, MR. HALE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE DAILY PATIENT TRANSFER RUN TO QUANG NGAI. HE WENT FIRST TO THE 91ST EVAC AND THEN TO THE 27TH SURG HOSPITALS. THE TOTAL LOAD WAS TWO LITTER PATIENTS, NINE AMBULATORY PATIENTS, AND ONE US M.P. PASSENGER. THIS PATIENT LOAD INCLUDED SEVERAL CHILDREN. SINCE THE ROUTE FROM THE 91ST TO THE 27TH CAUSES AIRCRAFT TO FLY VERY NEAR THE CHU LAI AIRFIELD, MR. HALE WAS MONITORING THE CHU LAI TOWER. JUST BEFORE HE WAS READY TO DEPART FROM THE 27TH SURG HE HEARD THE TOWER OPERATOR SAY THE WINDS WERE FROM 040 DEGREES AT TEN KNOTS. REALIZING HE PROBABLY HAD A HEAVY LOAD MR. HALE MADE TWO HOVER CHECKS. HE MADE ONE WHEN HE FIRST PICKED THE AIRCRAFT UP TO HOVER, AND A SECOND AFTER HE HAD MOVED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE SOUTHERN MOST PART OF THE HOSPITAL HELIPAD. HE HAD A STABILIZED HOVER AT THREE FEET HEADING INTO THE WIND OF 38 PSI ON THE TORQUE METER. UPON ATKEOFF, MR. HALE INCREASED HIS TORQUE PRESSURE TO 41 PSI FOR ADDED ASSURANCE THAT HE WOULD CLEAR THE FENCE SURROUNDING THE HELIPAD BY A SAFE DISTANCE. HE CLIMBED OUT INTO THE WIND UNTIL HE HAD 40 KNOTS OF AIRSPEEC. HE THEN REDUCED HIS POWER BACK TO 35 LBS AND BEGAN A SHALLOW RIGHT TURN TO HEAD SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE CORRIDOR KNOWN AS THE "GREEN STRIP". (THE GREEN STRIP IS USED BY ALL THE AVIATORS FLYING THROUGH THE AREA. IT IS AN AREA BETWEEN THE CHU LAI WEST ACTIVE AIRFIELD AND THE POPULATED AREA TO THE WEST. BECAUSE OF THE FIXED WING TRAFFIC IN THE VICINITY AN ALTITUDE OF 100 TO 150 FEET IS MAINTAINED.) AFTER HE HAD LEVELLED OFF AND REACHED AN AIRSPEED OF ABOUT 60 KNOTS THE ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED. THERE WAS A LOUD "BANG" FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A YAW TO THE LEFT. THE CREW CHIEF OBSERVED SMOKE AND SPARKS COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE EXHAUST. MR. HALE ENTERED AUTOROTATION AND NOTIFIED THE CREW THAT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE, INSTRUCTING THE MEDIC AND CREW CHIEF TO GET EVERYONE OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY WHEN THEY REACHED THE GROUND. THE AREA BENEATH THE HELICOPTER WAS MARSHY, CONSISTING OF MUD, GRASS AND ABOUT TWO FEET OF WATER. REALIZING THIS, IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT HIS AIRCRAFT WAS HEAVILY LOADEF AND IN A DOWNWIND CONDITION, MR. HALE'S CHIEF CONCERN WAS TO DISSIPATE HIS FORWARD AIRSPEED BEFORE REACHING THE GROUND. HE FELT THAT ANY GROUND RUN ON TOUCHDOWN COULD HAVE DISASTEROUS RESULTS ON THAT PARTICULAR TERRAIN. HIS FORWARD AIRSPEED STOPPED WHEN HE WAS APPROXIMATELY FIVE FEET ABOVE THE WATER. HE PULLED ALL THE PITCH HE HAD IN AN ATTEMPT TO CUSHION THE TOUCHDOWN. THE AIRCRAFT FELL THROUGH, MAKING A HARD LANDING IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION IN ABOUT TWO FEET OF WATER. MR. HALE TURNED OFF THE FUEL AND THE BATTERY AND HE AND THE CREW EXITED THE AIRCRAFT ALLNG WITH THE PATIENTS. THE SPARKS FROM THE ENGINE HAD APPARENTLY CAUSED A GRASS FIRE ABOUT 30 METERS BEHIND WHERE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST. THE CREW CHIEF EXPENDED THE AIRCRAFT FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN AN ATTEMPT TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FIRE ATTRACTED SOME BYSTANDERS, AND THEY CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AS SOON AS IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THERE WAS NO AIRCRAFT FIRE, MR. HALE RETURNED TO THE AIRCRAFT, CALLED CHU LAI CONTROL AND TOLD THEM OF THE ACCIDENT. THE ONLY INJURY IN THE AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT WAS A MINOR SPRAIN TO THE THUMB WHICH THE MEDIC RECEIVED IN HIS HURRY TO HELP THE PILOT EXIT THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS NO AIRCRAFT FIRE.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15578
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 15 15 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 6906 81 96 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 6907 65 161 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 6908 75 236 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 6909 79 315 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 6910 61 376 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 6911 61 437 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 6912 48 485 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7001 77 562 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7002 75 637 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7003 23 660 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7004 55 715 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7005 56 771 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7006 75 846 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7007 85 931 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7008 66 997 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7009 73 1070 WBSTAA 54 MED DET VIETNAM RVN 7010 0 1070 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 7011 0 1070 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 7012 0 1070 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 7101 0 1070 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 7102 48 1118 WFJ4B0 B 158TH AHB VIETNAM RVN 7103 0 1118 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 7104 0 1118 WE4HAA B BTRY 4 77 ART VIETNAM RVN 7105 35 1153 WAAXA0 A 229TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7106 115 1268 WAAXA0 A 229TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7107 50 1318 WAAXA0 A 229TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7108 22 1340 WAAXA0 A 229TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7109 69 1409 WAAXA0 A 229TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7110 28 1437 WAAXA0 A 229TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7111 55 1492 WAAXA0 A 229TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7112 44 1536 WAAXA0 A 229TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7201 29 1565 WH0KB0 215 CSBN MED VIETNAM RVN 7202 71 1636 WH0KB0 215 CSBN MED VIETNAM RVN 7203 24 1660 WH0KB0 215 CSBN MED VIETNAM RVN 7204 48 1708 WH0KB0 A 229TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7205 41 1749 WH0KB0 A 229TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7206 83 1832 WH0KB0 A 229TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7207 0 1832 W0Y6AA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7208 0 1832 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7209 0 1832 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7210 0 1832 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7211 20 1852 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7212 31 1883 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7301 20 1903 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7302 32 1935 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7303 30 1965 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7304 17 1982 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7305 31 2013 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7306 41 2054 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7307 43 2097 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7308 24 2121 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7309 13 2134 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7310 8 2142 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7311 9 2151 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7312 3 2154 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7401 2 2156 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7402 17 2173 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7403 6 2179 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7404 6 2185 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7405 15 2200 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7409 19 2290 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7410 5 2295 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7411 22 2317 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7412 7 2324 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7501 4 2328 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7502 14 2342 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7503 11 2353 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7504 15 2368 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7505 25 2393 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7506 0 2393 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7507 0 2393 WRHWAA 302ND AVN CO 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7509 0 2394 WRHWAA 302D AIR TFC UT 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7510 0 2394 WRHWAA 302D AIR TFC UT 1ST ARMY HORSHAM RESV 7511 21 2415 WRJ3T0 391ST ENGR BN 1ST ARMY GREENVILLE RESV 7512 22 2437 WRJ3T0 391ST ENGR BN 1ST ARMY GREENVILLE RESV
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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