Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15771
The Army purchased this helicopter 0769
Total flight hours at this point: 00001424
Date: 01/10/1971
Accident case number: 710110061
Unit: B/158 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Camp Evans in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 35487
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
AC W1 METZGER RJ
P O3 JACOBI MM
Passengers:
UNKNOWN, LCO, G;
Accident Summary:
THE MISSION OF THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WAS TO LAND ON A HILLLTOP LANDING ZONE, EXTRACT A RECONNAISSANCE TEAM AND PROCEED TO ANOTHER LOCATION. THE LANDING ZONE WAS IDENTIFEED BY THE CREW WHEN THE GROUND ELEMENT EMPLOYED A SMOKE GRENADE. THE APPROACH TO THE LANDING ZONE WAS INITIATED FROM THE SOUTHWEST TO THE NORTHEAST. BASED ON STATEMENTS RECEIVED, THE FINAL APPROACH TO THIS LANDING ZONE WAS SHALLOW AND FASTER THAN A NORMAL APPROACH, CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO BE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE DURING THE LAST PART OF THE DECELERATION. DURING THIS DECELERATION, THE CREW CHIEF TOLD THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER TO MOVE THE TAIL SECTION TO THE RIGHT TO MISS A TALL BUSHY TREE WHICH WAS DIRECTLY UNDER THE INITIAL APPROACH PATH. AS THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING MANEUVERED THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A SHORTER POLE LIKE TREE WHICH HAD NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY OBSERVED BY THE CREW. THE RESULT OF THE TAIL ROTOR STRIKE CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO BEGIN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT ABOUT ITS VERTICAL AXIS. AT THIS TIME THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER AND THE PILOT DECREASED THE COLLECTIVE AND INITIATED A REDUCTION OF THE THROTTLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND THE HELICOPTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND STOP THE SPINNING MOTION. THE RESULTING ACTION CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO TURN TO THE RIGHT APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES WITH A HARD TOUCHDOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE HILL SIX FEET SHORT AND LOWER THAN THE INTENDED LANDING SPOT. THE LANDING WAS TERMINATED WITH SUCH POSITIVE DOWNWARD CONTROL AND SKID LEVEL ATTITUDE THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT BOUNCE OR SLIDE. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON THE HILL SIDE AT AA 90 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE APPROACH, THEREBY DRIVING THE LEFT SKID INTO THE UPSLOPE SIDE OF THE HILL AND COMPRESSING THE SKID AND CROSS TUBES BETWEEN THE HELICOPTER AND THE GROUND.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15771
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 0769.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6907 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 6908 84 84 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 6909 91 175 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 6910 66 241 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 6911 90 331 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 6912 86 417 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 7001 65 482 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 7002 58 540 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 7003 53 593 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 7004 76 669 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 7005 83 752 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 7006 74 826 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 7007 106 932 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 7008 105 1037 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 7009 68 1105 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC VIETNAM RVN 7010 75 1180 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC VIETNAM RVN 7011 89 1269 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC VIETNAM RVN 7012 106 1375 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC VIETNAM RVN 7101 49 1424 WE4HAA 142 TC DS 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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