Helicopter UH-1H 68-16274
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail
number 68-16274
Date: 10/23/69
Incident number: 691023211ACD Accident
case number: 691023211 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: B/158
AVN
The station for this helicopter was Camp Evans in South Vietnam
Number
killed in accident = 6 . . Injured = 5 . . Passengers = 10
costing
514345
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 O3 MARTIN DW
P W2 WHITE JW
CE E4
MURPHY PF
G E4 PARIS RA
Passengers:
E3 G WESTERVELT, OGY, D; E3
D GALLAGHER, OGY, D; E4 D SUTTON, OGY, D; CPL CLARK DENNIS MC COY, AR, OG, KIA;
E3 C WARREN, OGY, D; SP4 MARTINEZ MANUEL GODINE, AR, OG, KIA; 2LT LOVE KERRY
BRENT, AR, OG, KIA; CPL HUDSON DENNIS NYE, AR, OG, KIA; SP4 CLEVELAND LARRY
MICHAEL, AR, OG, KIA; CPL BORRERO-SANCHEZ JOSE LUIS, AR, OG, KIA;
Accident Summary:
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE CONDUCT OF A COMBAT ASSAULT. THE AIRCRAFT
INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LEAD AIRCRAFT IN A FLIGHT OF SIX. THE INITIAL
LIFT INTO THE LZ WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT HAD JUST LANDED IN THE
LZ FOR THE THIRD TIME AND DISCHARGED SIX TROOPS WHEN THE MISHAP OCCURRED. THE LZ
WAS SMALL AND HAD SEVERAL LARGE TREE STUMPS, SOME OF WHICH WERE THREE FEET HIGH
AND THE GROUND WAS INCLINED ABOUT 10 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE SAME
SPOT AS HIS PREVIOUS LANDINGS. THE TROOPS DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND MOVED AWAY
FROM THE HELICOPTER ABOUT 30 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER BROUGHT THE HELICOPTER
UP TO A STABILIZED TWO FOOT HOVER AND MADE A TAKEOFF CHECK. THE GUNNER AND CREW
CHIEF RESPONDED WITH "CLEAR RIGHT" AND "CLEAR LEFT". ACCORDING TO THE GUNNER A
STUMP WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY AT A 60 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE HELICOPTER. THE
AIRCRAFT WAS REQUIRED TO MAKE A MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE TAKEOFF TO AVOID THE
OBSTACLES DIRECTLY TO HIS FRONT. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED UP TO A HOVER, IT
APPARENTLY DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT WITH THE SKID SLIDING UNDER THE STUMP WITHOUT
ACTUALLY TOUCHING IT. THERE WAS NO FEEDBACK ON THE CONTROLS THAT WOULD INDICATE
THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS CAUGHT OR LEANING AGAINST AN OBJECT. UPON APPLYING POWER
THE RIGHT SKID IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE STUMP AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER ON
ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE CREW GOT OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE GUNNER SUSTAINING A
LACERATION ON HIS LEG. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE LZ IN THE
VICINITY OF SEVERAL TROOPS. THE MAIN BLADES KILLED SIX AND INJURED FOUR TROOPS
THAT WERE ALL ON THE EDGE OF THE LZ. THE AIRCRAFT WAS A TOTAL LOSS BUT DID NOT
BURN.\\
This record was last updated on 09/20/98
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: CPL Jose Luis Borrero-sanchez (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In
Action from an incident on 10/23/69.
Age at death: 18.9
Date of Birth:
11/26/50
Home City: Yauco, PR
Service: regular component of the U.S.
Army.
Unit: 101 ABN DIV
Major organization: 101st Airborne
Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 17W-108
Short Summary:
Skid got caught on stump on take off out of drop off LZ. Crash killed 6 PAXs
with rotor blades. Crew OK.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-16274
SSN:
584467678
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 11B10 = Infantryman
Major
attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause:
weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle:
passenger
Started Tour: 08/05/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air
casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: *
Location: Quang Tri Province I
Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died
of other causes
single 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 07/29/95
Name: CPL Dennis Mc Coy Clark (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In
Action from an incident on 10/23/69.
Age at death: 18.4
Date of Birth:
05/29/51
Home City: Portsmouth, VA
Service: regular component of the U.S.
Army.
Unit: 101 ABN DIV
Major organization: 101st Airborne
Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 17W-108
Short Summary:
Skid got caught on stump on take off out of drop off LZ. Crash killed 6 PAXs
with rotor blades. Crew OK.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-16274
SSN:
224705906
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 13A10 = Field Artillery
Basic
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment
cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle:
passenger
Started Tour: 06/03/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air
casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Quang Tri Province
I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile -
died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Negro
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 07/29/95
Name: SP4 Larry Michael Cleveland
Status: Killed In Action from an incident
on 10/23/69.
Age at death: 21.9
Date of Birth: 11/16/47
Home City: Long
Beach, CA
Service: component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 101 ABN DIV
Major
organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall
location: 17W-107
Short Summary: Skid got caught on stump on take off out of
drop off LZ. Crash killed 6 PAXs with rotor blades. Crew OK.
Aircraft: UH-1H
tail number 68-16274
SSN: 562740013
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 11B10
= Infantryman
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at
sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in
vehicle: passenger
Started Tour: 01/12/69
"Official" listing: helicopter
air casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Quang Tri
Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type:
Non-hostile - died of other causes
single 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 07/29/95
Name: CPL Dennis Nye Hudson (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In Action
from an incident on 10/23/69.
Age at death: 19.3
Date of Birth:
06/28/50
Home City: Riverside, CA
Service: regular component of the U.S.
Army.
Unit: 101 ABN DIV
Major organization: 101st Airborne
Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 17W-110
Short Summary:
Skid got caught on stump on take off out of drop off LZ. Crash killed 6 PAXs
with rotor blades. Crew OK.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-16274
SSN:
547706508
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 91B20 = Medical NCO
Major
attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause:
weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle:
passenger
Started Tour: 04/02/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air
casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Quang Tri Province
I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile -
died of other causes
single 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 07/29/95
Name: 2LT Kerry Brent Love
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on
10/23/69.
Age at death: 21.3
Date of Birth: 07/04/48
Home City: Mesa,
WA
Service: IN branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 101
ABN DIV
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: IN branch of
the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 17W-109
Short Summary: Skid got caught
on stump on take off out of drop off LZ. Crash killed 6 PAXs with rotor blades.
Crew OK.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-16274
SSN: 533482994
Country:
South Vietnam
MOS: 0001 = - Duties Unassigned
Major attributing cause:
aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved:
helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Started Tour:
09/13/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty -
non-aircrew
Location: Quang Tri 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: officer
This record
was last updated on 07/29/95
Name: SP4 Manuel Godine Martinez
Status: Killed In Action from an incident
on 10/23/69.
Age at death: 21.6
Date of Birth: 03/10/48
Home City:
Colorado City, TX
Service: component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 101 ABN
DIV
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The
Wall location: 17W-109
Short Summary: Skid got caught on stump on take off
out of drop off LZ. Crash killed 6 PAXs with rotor blades. Crew OK.
Aircraft:
UH-1H tail number 68-16274
SSN: 456749621
Country: South Vietnam
MOS:
11B10 = Infantryman
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at
sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in
vehicle: passenger
Started Tour: 04/11/69
"Official" listing: helicopter
air casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Quang Tri
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 07/29/95
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number
68-16274
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 .
Please provide any additional information on this
helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY
6910 0 0 WFJ4B0 B/158 AVN VIETNAM VS
Please send additions or corrections to:
VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law
Printed from databases on: 08/27/00
Copyright © 1998, 1999 and 2000 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association