Helicopter UH-1H 66-16701

ACFT MADE HOT/STEEP APPROACH TO LZ & HIT A TREE DAM M/R BLADES \

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16701
The Army purchased this helicopter 0867
Total flight hours at this point: 00001862
Date: 03/27/1969
Accident case number: 690327421 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 134 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Tuy Hoa in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 5 . . Passengers = 3
costing 255907
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 W2 YALDEN RC
P W1 SOEDER GA
CE UNK DELACRUZ M
G UNK BERNARD RE

Passengers:
UNK UNK, PAX, G; UNK UNK, PAX, G; UNK J HORMAN, PAX, D;

Accident Summary:

AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 FEET OVER SONG CAU RVN, THE CREW HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE CREWCHIEF STATES THAT THE NOISE CAME FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE TRANSMISSION, THE OTHER PERSONS ABOARD COULD ONLY SAY THAT THE NOISE CAME FROM THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER CW2 YALDEN, WAS AT THE CONTROLS. MR. YALDEN OBSERVED THAT HIS RPM HAD DROPPED TO APPROXIMATELY 6000, AT THIS TIME HE ENTERED AUTOROTATION BY PLACING THE COLLECTIVE FULL DOWN AND ROLLING OFF THROTTLE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALREADY HEADING INTO THE WIND NO TURN WAS REQUIRED. THE ENGINE REMAINED RUNNING WITH THE ENGINE RPM STABLIZING AT APPROXIMATELY 4300. MR. YALDEN STATES THAT HIS ROTOR RPM CONTINUED TO DECAY. MR. YALDEN HAD BY THIS TIME PLACED THE AIRCRAFT INTO A DIVE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN ROTOR RPM. AS HE APPROACHED THE GROUND MR. YALDEN DECIDED TO LAND IN A SHALLOW BAY. WHEN AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET, HE FLARED THE AIRCRAFT. THE STATES HIS ROTOR RPM WAS STILL DECAYING AND THAT HE WAS LOSING CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND SHORT OF THE WATER IN A TAIL LOW ATTITUDE. THE TAIL SECTION HIT SEVERAL TREES, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE CUT THE TOP OUT OF ANOTHER. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TURNED END OVER END COMING TO REST UPSIDE DOWN IN APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET OF WATER.\\

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16701
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 0867.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST         COUNTRY
6708   8    8 WCLQAA 335 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                          RVN     
6709  67   75 WGPQAA 335 AVN CO       VIETNAM                          RVN     
6710  98  173 WGPQAA 335 AVN CO       VIETNAM                          RVN     
6711 116  289 WGPQAA 335 AVN CO       VIETNAM                          RVN     
6712 107  396 WGPQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN     
6801 132  528 WGPQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN     
6802  90  618 WGPQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN     
6803 118  736 WGPQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN     
6804  86  822 WCLQAA 335 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                          RVN     
6805  79  901 WGPQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN     
6806 131 1032 WGPQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN      
6807  89 1121 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN     
6808  86 1207 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN     
6809  82 1289 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN     
6810  99 1388 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN     
6811  73 1461 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN     
6812 126 1587 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN     
6901 124 1711 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN     
6902 112 1823 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN      
6903  39 1862 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                          RVN