Helicopter UH-1H 66-16507

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16507
The Army purchased this helicopter 0667
Total flight hours at this point: 00000255
Date: 01/01/1968
Accident case number: 680101021
Unit: 92 AHC
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 300
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
P W1 HAGEMAN J

Accident Summary:

Went IFR on short final. Crew could not see through bubble. Aircraft settled hard on ground

This record was last updated on 01/05/1997


Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16507
The Army purchased this helicopter 0667
Total flight hours at this point: 00000641
Date: 06/25/1969
Accident case number: 690625271 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 129 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Din Binh 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 W1 COOPER AB
P W1 STEWART GW
CE E3 HARGRAVE SL
G E3 MAW PA

Passengers:
UNK UNK, MFP, G;


Accident Summary:

ON 25 JUNE 1969, WO1 COOPER TOOK OFF ON A MISSION TO SUPPORT THE 4TH INF DIV. AT APPROXIMATELY 0915 HOURS, WHILE INROUTE TO THE FIRST PZ, THE FLIGHT WAS CROSSING RUGGED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHICH MR. COOPER WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH SINCE HIS UNIT SELDOM HAD MISSIONS IN THIS AREA. MR. STEWART WAS AT THE CONTROLS WHILE FLYING IN FORMATION AT AN INDICATED ALTITUDE OF 3,000' OR AT ABOUT 1600' AGL. THE FLIGHT WAS HEADED APPROXIMATELY NORTH WHEN THE CREW, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MR. COOPER, HEARD 3 THUMPS, AND SIMULTANOUSLY THE MASTER CAUTION AND CHIP DETECTOR LIGHTS CAME ON. AT THIS POINT MR. COOPER TOOK THE CONTROLS, BEGAN A DESENDING LEFT TURN TOWARD A MORE SUITABLE AREA AND RADIOED A MAY DAY CALL. THE PILOT, MR. STEWART, SCANNED THE INSTRUMENTS AND FOUND THEM ALL IN THE GREEN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CHIP DETECTOR AND MASTER CAUTION LIGHTS. COOPER HAD DESCENDED SOME 800' IN 30 SECONDS BEFORE HE FELT THE ENGINE LOOSING POWER AND VERIFIED THIS BY AN AUDIBLE DECREASE IN THE ENGINE NOISE LEVEL, AS WELL AS A DECREASING GAS PRODUCER READING. IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT MR. COOPER DECIDED TO ENTER AUTOROTATION AND HE ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE, BOTTOMED COLLECTIVE, AND BEGAN A DESCENT TOWARDS WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE AN OPEN AREA. IT WAS AT ABOUT 200' AGL THAT MR. COOPER REALIZED THAT THE AREA HE WAS SHOOTING FOR WAS UNSUITABLE IN THAT IT WAS COVERED WITH STUMPS AND HAD A HIGH DEGREE OF SLOPE TO IT. SPOTTING ANOTHER AREA SOME 50 TO 75 METERS BEYOND AND TO THE RIGHT (NORTH) OF THE ORIGINAL AREA, MR. COOPER CHANGED HIS INTENTIONS AND DECIDED TO TRY FOR THE MORE SUITABLE AREA. AT THIS TIME HE PULLED IN SOME PITCH TO EXTEND HIS GLIDE HOPING TO MAKE THE ALTERNATE AREA. IT WAS THEN THAT THE PILOT, MR. STEWART, NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE GAUGE READ 30 POUNDS. THIS WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 100 AGL. SHORTLY AFTER THE TRANSMISSION OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON THE GAS PRODUCER HAD DECREASED TO A READING OF SOME 30%. AT ABOUT 20' AGL, MR. STEWART READ THE ROTOR TACH AT 230, WELL OUT OF THE GREEN. MR. COOPER, MEANWHILE CONTINUED HIS DESCENT FOR THE AREA, LEAVING SOME PITCH IN THE BLADES KNOWING THE ROTOR WAS FAR FROM OPTIMUM RPM. FEELING THAT A DECELERATION FLARE WOULD CAUSE HIM TO FALL SHORT OF HIS INTENDED LANDING POINT, HE WENT IN THE LAST 75' IN A SOMEWHAT LEVEL ATTITUDE. AS THE SHIP STARTED CRASHING INTO A BAMBOO THICKET, MR. COOPER PULLED HIS REMAINING PITCH (10-12 AGL) TO CUSHION ON. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SOME 10 FEET FROM THE INTENDED OPEN AREA AND AFTER HITTING THE GROUND THERE WAS NO FURTHER MOVEMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT.


The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16507
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 0667.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6706  11   11 WQ4VAA 92 AVN CO        5TH ARMY   FORT CARSON      5TH ARMY      
6707  25   36 WQ4VAA 92 AVN CO        5TH ARMY   FORT CARSON      5TH ARMY      
6708   7   43 WQ4VAA 92 AVN CO        5TH ARMY   FORT CARSON      5TH ARMY      
6709  14   57 WQ4VAA 92 AVN CO        5TH ARMY   FORT CARSON      5TH ARMY      
6710   0   57 WQ4VAA 92 AVN CO        5TH ARMY   FORT CARSON      5TH ARMY      
6711   3   60 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6712  93  153 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6801 102  255 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6802   0  255 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6803   0  255 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR 
6804   0  255 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM        
6805   0  255 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM        
6806   0  255 8005   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY 
6807   0  255 8005   OPM SEA NITEOPS  1ST ARMY   FORT BELVOIR     AMC          
6808   0  255 8005   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6809   0  255 8005   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6810   0  255 8005   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6811   0  255 8005   POST SUPPLY      6TH ARMY   FORT ORD         6TH ARMY    
6812   0  255 8005   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6901   0  255 3300   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6902  37  292 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6903 107  399 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6904 113  512 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6905 129  641 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6906   0  641 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN