Helicopter UH-1H 67-17385

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17385
The Army purchased this helicopter 0368
Total flight hours at this point: 00000962
Date: 02/12/1969
Accident case number: 690212251 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 129 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Di An in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 2 . . Passengers = 3
costing 200345
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC O2 NELSON MA
P W1 STONE JA
CE E5 MARR TV
G NOBLE

Passengers:
UNK, PAX, G; UNK, PAX, G; UNK, PAX, G;


Accident Summary:

AT APPROXIMATELY ^1130^ HOURS THEY TOOK OFF FROM ^2ND BN HQ^ WHICH IS LOCATED ON A HILL WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 50' HIGHER THAN THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN. THEY HAD THREE KOREAN PASSENGERS ON AT THE TIME.^WO1 JOHN STONE^ WAS FLYING AND HE SAID HE MADE A NORMAL TAKE-OFF INTO THE WIND WHICH WAS COMING OUT OF EAST NORTH EAST. DURING HIS CLIMB OUT HE TURNED SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT TO AVOID OVERFLYING HILLY, WOODED TERRAIN. HE THEN NOTICED THAT HE WAS SLIGHTLY OUT OF TRIM AND HE MADE THE APPROPRIATE CORRECTION. IT WAS AFTER THIS THAT THE CREW HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHICH ^LT NELSON^ DESCRIBED AS SOUNDING AS THOUGH THEY WERE TAKING A ROUND ONLY MUCH LOUDER AND OF A LONGER LASTING DURATION. ^MR. STONE^ WAS STILL ON THE CONTROLS AND HE STARTED TO LOWER THE COLLECTIVE. AT THIS TIME, ^LT NELSON^ TOOK THE CONTROLS FROM ^MR. STONE^. HIS FIRST ACT WAS TO INCREASE THE PITCH, WHEN HE DID THIS THE AIRCRAFT STARTED SPINNING RAPIDLY TO THE RIGHT. THIS COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE FACT THAT THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY INCLUDING THE 90 DEG GEAR BOX HAD BEEN SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THIS WAS FIRST OBSERVED BY THE CREW CHIEF, ^SP5 MARR^, WHO SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT IT'S ALL GONE. HE ALSO NOTICED A RATHER LARGE HOLE IN THE SYNCRONIZED ELEVATOR. ^LT NELSON'S^ NEXT ACT WAS TO LOWER THE COLLECTIVE AND ROLL OFF THE THROTTLE, ENTERING AUTOROTATION, THE CREW MEMBERS ARE NOT SURE THE SPINNING STOPPED COMPLETELY OR JUST SLOWED DOWN BECAUSE THEY WERE DESCENDING VERY RAPIDLY. ^LT NELSON'S^ LAST ACT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO CUSHION THEIR LANDING BY PULLING PITCH, HOWEVER, THIS DID NOT HELP AS THE AIRCRAFT LANDED FLAT, BUT VERY HARD. THIS CAUSED ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE AFT CROSS-TUBE BROKE AND THE TAIL BOOM PULLED LOOSE BUT WAS STILL ATTACHED. AFTER LANDING ^LT NELSON^ TOLD HIS CREW TO LEAVE THE AIRCRAFT WHILE HE PROCEEDED TO SHUT IT DOWN. ALL THE PARTS WHICH HAD SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT WERE DISCOVERED EXCEPT FOR ONE OF THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WHICH HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED UP TO THIS TIME. THE TAIL ROTOR HUB YOKE BROKE IN THE THREADED AREA WHERE THE HOLES FOR THE SAFETY PIN ARE. INJURE IN THE ACCIDENT WERE ^WO1 STONE^ AND ^SP5 MARR^. ^SP5 MARR^ HAS RECOVERED AND ^MR. STONE^ IS EXPECTED TO BE GROUNDED UNTIL ^3 MAR 69^, HOWEVER, HE IS NOT HOSPITALIZED.


Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17385
Date: 720300
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YA863250
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: VNAF (South Vietnamese Air Force. )
Loss to Inventory


The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17385
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 0368.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6803   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
6804   0    0 3300   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM    
6805  93   93 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6806  94  187 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6807  91  278 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6808 102  380 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6809 136  516 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6810  83  599 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6811  81  680 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6812  98  778 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6901 123  901 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6902  61  962 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN     
6903   0  962 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR 
6904   0  962 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM        
6905   0  962 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM        
6906   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
6907   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
6908   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
6909   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
6910   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
6911   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
6912   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7001   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7002   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7003   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7004   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7005   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7006   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7007   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7008   0  962 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
7009   0  962 WC5CAA 604 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     
7010   0  962 WC5CAA 604 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN