Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15426
The Army purchased this helicopter 0369
Total flight hours at this point: 00001362
Date: 05/19/1971
Accident case number: 710519141
Unit: D/1/10 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Din Binh in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 2000
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
P O3 ALEXANDER P
Accident Summary:
AIRCRAFT HOVERING IN POOR LANDING ZONE, WHILE TROOPS JUMPED TO GROUND. DIFICULTY IN MAINTAINING STABLE HOVER OVER 3 TO 4 FOOT JUMPS. TROOPS JUMPING FROM AIRCRAFT, RESULTED IN INADVERTANT CONTACT WITH A STUMP CAUSING 2 INCH HOLE IN UNDER BELLY.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15426
The Army purchased this helicopter 0369
Total flight hours at this point: 00002009
Date: 04/27/1972
Incident number: 720427031ACD Accident case number: 720427031 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 129 AHC
The station for this helicopter was An Son in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 4 . . Injured = 2 . . Passengers = 2
costing 434070
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:
P WO1 STROTHER CLAUD PAUL KIA
P 1LT SHAW THOMAS FRANCIS KIA
CE E4 SANCHEZ BE
G E4 HERNANDEZ B
Passengers:
UNK MO, , PX, KIA; UNK SUCK, , PX, KIA;
Accident Summary:
ON 27 APRIL 1972 AT 0630 HOURS LOCAL, AIRCRAFT ^SN 68-15426,^ BELONGING TO THE ^129TH ASSAULT HELICOPTER COMPANY^ TOOK OFF FROM LANE ARMY HELIPORT ON A DIRECT COMBAT SUPPORT MISSION IN SUPPORT OF THE CAVALRY REGIMENT, CRID. THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMMANDED BY ^WO1 CLAUDE P. STROTHER, 459-72-0606,^ AND THE CO-PILOT WAS ^1LT THOMAS F. SHAW, 388-50-5291.^ THE AIRCRAFT FLEW NORMAL RESUPPLY ALL MORNING AND REFUELED AT AN KHE AIRFIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 1015 HOURS. UPON DEPARTURE FROM POL THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A SORTIE TO^1ST COMPANY, 1ST BATTALION^LOCATED AT THE SUMMIT OF THE MOUNTAIN JUST SOUTH OF THE AN KHE PASS WITH ^1LT SHAW^ AT THE CONTROLS. THE AIRCRAFT LOW-LEVELED UP THE ROAD TO THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 90-100 KNOTS AND UPON REACHING THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN BEGAN A CLIMB UP TO THE LZ. JUST AFTER INITIATING THE CLIMB THE SURVIVING CREW MEMBERS RECALLED ^WO1 STROTHER^ TELL ^1LT SHAW^ TO "GET IT UP". AT THIS TIME THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND ^1LT SHAW^ ADDED COLLECTIVE PITCH, APPLIED AFT CYCLIC, AND STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR ON THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED IN A SHARP RIGHT TURN, WENT NOSE LOW AND STRUCK A TREE ON THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND LANDING ON ITS NOSE AND CAME TO REST IN THAT POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT BURN. ANOTHER AIRCRAFT FROM THE ^129TH AHC^ WHO HAD BEEN IN RADIO COMMUNICATION WITH ^426^ LOST COMMUNICATION, INVESTIGATED, AND SAW THE AIRCRAFT WHERE IT CAME TO REST. A MEDIVAC SHIP WAS SUMMONED AND THE COMPANY COMMANDER, ^MAJ ALAN F. JONES,^ WHO WAS IN THE AREA, FLEW TO THE SCENE TO ASSIST IN RESCUE OF THE CREW. IT WAS APPARENT UPON INVESTIGATION THAT THE PILOT AND CO-PILOT WERE DEAD AND THAT THE REST OF THE CREW HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE WRECKAGE. A MEDIVAC SHIP FROM THE ^237TH MEDICAL DETACHMENT^ ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AND MEDIVACED THE GUNNER AND CREW CHIEF TO THE ^133D MEDICAL DETACHMENT^ IN QUI NHON. THEY THEN RETURNED AND PICKED UP THE BODIES OF ^WO1 STROTHER, 1LT SHAW,^ AND TWO KOREANS WHO WERE ALSO KILLED IN THE CRASH AND TOOK THEM TO GRAVES REGISTRATION IN QUI NHON.
This record was last updated on 09/20/1998
The following is crew member information for this incident:
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15426
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 0369.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6903 18 18 WAZNA0 ATRP 7SQ 17CAV VIETNAM RVN 6904 167 185 WAZNA0 ATRP 7SQ 17CAV VIETNAM RVN 6905 115 300 WAZNA0 ATRP 7SQ 17CAV VIETNAM RVN 6906 105 405 WAZNA0 ATRP 7SQ 17CAV VIETNAM RVN 6907 79 484 WAZNA0 ATRP 7SQ 17CAV VIETNAM RVN 6908 156 640 WAZNA0 ATRP 7SQ 17CAV VIETNAM RVN 6909 137 777 WAZNA0 ATRP 7SQ 17CAV VIETNAM RVN 6910 113 890 WAZNA0 ATRP 7SQ 17CAV VIETNAM RVN 6911 79 969 WAZNA0 ATRP 7SQ 17CAV VIETNAM RVN 6912 15 984 WAZNA0 ATRP 7SQ 17CAV VIETNAM RVN 7001 0 984 WC5CAA 604 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7002 0 984 WC5CAA 604 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7003 0 984 W0Y6AA INTRANSIT IN TRANSIT AVCOMCTR 7004 0 984 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7005 0 984 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7006 0 984 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7007 2 986 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7008 0 986 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7009 33 1019 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7010 6 1025 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7011 35 1060 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7012 29 1089 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7101 64 1153 WAKED0 D TRP 1 10 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7102 69 1222 WAKED0 D TRP 1 10 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7103 38 1260 WAKED0 D TRP 1 10 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7104 49 1309 WAKED0 D TRP 1 10 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7105 53 1362 WAKED0 D TRP 1 10 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7106 88 1450 WAKED0 D TRP 1 10 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7107 55 1505 WAKED0 1 10 ARC D TRP VIETNAM RVN 7108 101 1606 WAKED0 1 10 ARC D TRP VIETNAM RVN 7109 73 1679 WAKED0 1 10 ARC D TRP VIETNAM RVN 7110 49 1728 WAKED0 1 10 ARC D TRP VIETNAM RVN 7111 53 1781 WAKED0 1 10 ARC D TRP VIETNAM RVN 7112 24 1805 WAKED0 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7201 79 1884 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7202 69 1953 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7203 38 1991 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7204 18 2009 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN