Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16288
The Army purchased this helicopter 0467
Total flight hours at this point: 00001642
Date: 07/12/1969
Accident case number: 690712101
Unit: 129 AHC
The station for this helicopter was An Son in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 5555
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
AC W2 GETCHELL KA
Accident Summary:
WHILE LDG ON PINNACLE AC WAS CLEARED TO SET ACFT DOWN FROM A HOVER GUNNER MISJUDGED LENGTH OF M/R BLADE & BLADE STRUCK A SMALL TREE ICDT DAM
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16288
The Army purchased this helicopter 0467
Total flight hours at this point: 00002276
Date: 02/12/1970
Accident case number: 700212181 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 129 AHC
The station for this helicopter was An Son in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 4 . . Passengers = 1
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 O3 SIMMS JM
P W1 GRAMANDO AF
CE E4 ARELLANO PA
G E4 ROOD R
Passengers:
O3 JE SHEPARD, FCO, G;
Accident Summary:
AT APPROXIMATELY 1045 HOURS ON 12 FEB 1970, ^CPT SIMMS^, WHO WAS AT THE CONTROLS, AND ^WO1 GRAMANDO^ WERE FLYING ON A COMBAT ASSAULT FOR THE ^1ST BN CAV REG^. THEIR AIRCRAFT WAS CHALK TWO IN A FORMATION OF FIVE AIRCRAFT APPROACHING THE PICKUP ZONE. THE PZ WAS THE 1ST BN CAV REG COMPOUND ON HWY 19. THE FLIGHT LEAD, ^CPT SHEPARD^, CONTACTED THE PATHFINDER DETACHMENT IN THE PZ AND OBTAINED THE WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED AND MADE HIS APPROACH INTO THE WIND. ON SHORT FINAL, ^CW2 MCKAY^, AT THE CONTROLS, NOTED TWO CH-47'S TO THE RIGHT TO THE INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT. KNOWING THAT THE FLIGHT WAS IN TRAIL FORMATION, ^CW2 MCKAY^ DECIDED TO LAND PAST HIS INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT, WHICH PUT HIM OVER A BURM IN THE CENTER OF THE COMPOUND. CHALK TWO FOLLOWED OVER THE BURM AND AS BOTH AIRCRAFT LOST TRANSLATIONAL LIFT, THEY EXPERIENCED DUSTY CONDITIONS AND WENT IFR. ^CPT SIMMS^ LOST ALL GROUND REFERENCE AND THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND HARD, WHEN HHIS HAPPENED, HE PULLED THE AIRCRAFT BACK INTO THE AIR AGAIN IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET OUT OF THE DUST AND GAIN SOME OUTSIDE REFERENCE. IN THE ATTEMPT, HE PLACED THE AIRCRAFT IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE AND BEGAN MOVING TO HIS REAR. THE TAIL ROTOR HIT THE BURM DIRECTLY BEHIND HIM, WITH THE IMPACT CAUSING THE LOSS OF THE 90 DEG GEAR BOX. THE AIRCRAFT MADE TWO 360 DEG TURNS BEFORE ^CPT SIMMS^ CUT THE THROTTLE, STOPPING THE SPIN. UPON THE SECOND IMPACT, THE MAIN ROTOR HIT THE BURM AND THE MAIN MAST SNAPPED. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE.
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16288
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 0467.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6704 1 1 WQ1CAA GEN SUPPLY DIV 4THARMY RED RIVER AD AVCOM 6705 0 1 9221 ARMY AVN DIV 6TH ARMY DUGWAY PG TEVALCOM 6706 0 1 9221 USARV FLT DET VIETNAM RVN 6707 0 1 9221 USARV FLT DET VIETNAM RVN 6708 0 1 9221 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6709 0 1 9221 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6710 0 1 9221 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6711 0 1 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6712 0 1 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6801 0 1 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6802 0 1 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6803 0 1 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6804 0 1 3300 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6805 132 133 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6806 142 275 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6807 88 363 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6808 116 479 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6809 98 577 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6810 62 639 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6811 80 719 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6812 106 825 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6901 122 947 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6902 100 1047 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6903 111 1158 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6904 128 1286 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6905 133 1419 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6906 106 1525 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6907 117 1642 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6908 81 1723 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6909 114 1837 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6910 144 1981 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6911 84 2065 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6912 107 2172 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7001 60 2232 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7002 44 2276 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN