Accident Summary:
ON 26 JULY 1970 NORTON, ROBERT T., WO1, 450-58-4459, AND THE CREW ABOARD HIS HSIP DEPARTED LZ ENGLISH ENROUTE TO LOU DO BEACH, GRID COORDINATES BR 9794. THE TRIP FROM LZ ENGLISH TO LOU DO BEACH WAS MADE AT LOW ALTITUDE OVER THE ENTIRE ROUTE. THE SHIP LEFT FOUR PASSENGERS OFF AND PICKED UP ONE PASSENGER. THE SHIP DEPARTED THE PAD AT LOU DO BEACH AND PROCEEDED DOWN THE BEACH AT AN APPROXIMATE HEADING OF 160. AT APPROXIMATELY 2200 FEET DOWN THE BEACH AT AN APPROXIMATE HEADING OF 160. AT APPROXIMATELY 2200 FEET DOWN THE BEACH THE SHIP BEGAN A STEEP TURN TO THE LEFT. THE ALTITUDE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 40 FEET WHEN THE TURN WAS INITIATED. THE AIRCRAFT APPARANTLY BEGAN TO SETTLE AND CONSEQUENTLY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE WATER ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SHIP. AT THIS TIME THE SHIP PITCHED FORWARD AND ROLLED TO THE RIGHT. THE RIGHT FRONT CABIN SECTION STRUCK THE WATER AND THE SHIP INVERTED. AT THIS POINT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DISINTEGRATE. THE ACTUAL CRASH SITE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120 AT 700 FEET OFFSHORE FROM WHERE THE TURN WAS INITIATED. FOUR SURVIVORS OF THE CRASH WERE RESCUED BY A SPEEDBOAT AND PARKER, WILLIAM A., WO1, 419-48-0235, EXPIRED AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. HIS BODY WAS RECOVERED 20 MINUTES LATER BY SWIMMERS IN THE AREA.\\
This record was last updated on 09/20/1998
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: WO1 William Avalon Parker
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 07/26/1970 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 31.7
Date of Birth: 10/26/1938
Home City: Scottsboro, AL
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 498 MED
Major organization: USARV
Flight class: 69-37/69-35
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 08W-055
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16632
Call sign: Dustoff
SSN: 419480235
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 02/19/1970
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Binh Dinh Province II Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Presbyterian
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: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 07/29/1995
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16632
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 0767.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6707 30 30 WDFJAA 134 AVN CO 3RD ARMY FORT BRAGG 3RD ARMY 6708 47 77 WDFJAA 134 AVN CO 3RD ARMY FORT BRAGG 3RD ARMY 6709 31 108 WDFJAA 134 AVN CO 3RD ARMY FORT BRAGG 3RD ARMY 6710 0 108 WDFJAA 134 AVN CO 3RD ARMY FORT BRAGG 3RD ARMY 6711 0 108 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6712 33 141 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6801 41 182 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6802 25 207 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6803 33 240 WC3HAA 128 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6804 74 314 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6805 31 345 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6806 35 380 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6807 31 411 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6808 37 448 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6809 28 476 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6810 53 529 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6811 10 539 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6812 20 559 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6901 6 565 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6902 36 601 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6903 84 685 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6904 18 703 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6905 51 754 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6906 0 754 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6907 84 838 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6908 44 882 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6909 62 944 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6910 65 1009 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6911 36 1045 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 6912 62 1107 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 7001 39 1146 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 7002 50 1196 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 7003 51 1247 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 7004 28 1275 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 7005 68 1343 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN 7006 19 1362 WBM2AA 498 MED CO AM VIETNAM RVN
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