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Helicopter UH-1H 66-16186

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Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16186
The Army purchased this helicopter 0367
Total flight hours at this point: 00002861
Date: 04/09/1970
Accident case number: 700409311
Unit: 174^th AHC
The station for this helicopter was Duc Pho in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 96231
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W2 BAILEY JC
P W1 STRUEMKE CW
CE E4 VALLADOLID T
G E4 WHITFIELD R

Passengers:
LC LOCAL, LCO, G;

Accident Summary:

DURING THE MORNING OF 9 APRIL 1970, AIRCRAFT 186 FLEW FROM 0700
HOURS UNTIL 1000 HOURS SUPPORTING AN INFANTRY BATTALION ON
VARIOUS RESUPPLY FLIGHTS. THAT AFTERNOON AT 1315 HOURS THEY
RESUMED SUPPORT FOR THE SAME BATTALION. AT APPROXIMATELY 1700
HOURS THEY DEPARTED SAN JUAN HILL WITH ABOUT 750 POUNDS OF CARGO
AND THREE (3) PASSENGERS FOR A FORWARD UNIT. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE,
THE PILOT COMPLETED AN OUT-OF-GROUND EFFECT HOVER CHECK AT AN
ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY THIRTY (30) FEET USING 45 POUNDS OF
TORQUE. HE THEN DEPARTED FOR THE SAME LZ WHICH HAD BEEN USED FOR
THE PREVIOUS TWO (2) RESUPPLY FLIGHTS. THEIR GROSS WEIGHT WAS
SLIGHTLY HEAVIER ON THIS TRIP THAN ON THE TWO PROCEDING FLIGHTS.
IN A FEW MINUTES THEY ARRIVED AT THE LX, WHICH WAS A BOMB CRATER
UNSUITABLE FOR A GROUND LANDING AND SURROUNDED BY HIGH TREES.
(SEE PHOTO TAB 9) THE PILOT TERMINATED HIS APPROACH ABOVE THE
TREES AT APPROXIMATELY A FIFTY (50) TO SIXTY (60) FOOT HOVER. AT
THIS TIME THE FORECASTED SURFACE WINDS AT DUC PHO, 19 KILOMETERS
TO THE EAST, WERE FROM 120 DEGREE AT 16 KNOTS GUSTING TO 24
KNOTS. (SEE WEATHER REPORT TAB 3) WHEN THE PILOT DESCENDED BELOW
TREE TOP LEVEL, HE LOST THE LIFTING EFFECT OF THE STRONG HEAD
WIND AND CNSEQUENTLY BEGAN TO DESCENT FASTER THAN DESIRED. POWER
WAS ADDED TO SLOW HIS RATE OF DECENT, BUT, DUE TO THEIR HEAVY
GROSS WEIGHT, THE ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO BLEED OFF. THE AIRCRAFT
COMMANDER TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE CREW WAS
INSTRUCTED TO START THROWING OFF SOME OF THE CARGO. THE AIRCRAFT
COMMANDER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A GO-AROUND BUT HIS RPM DECAYED TO
5800. AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN LOST RPM WAS MADE BY LOWERING THE
COLLECTIVE AND ADDING RIGHT PEDAL. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A 360
DEGREE RIGHT TURN IN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN ENOUGH RPM TO CONTROL THE
AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT'S DESCENT COULD NOT BE STOPPED AND A
DECELERATING CRASH LANDING WAS MADE INTO THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT
WAS SHUT DOWN AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR INDICATIONS OF FIRE.\\

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16186
The Army purchased this helicopter 0367
Total flight hours at this point: 00002931
Date: 07/29/1970
Accident case number: 700729091
Unit: 134^th AHC
The station for this helicopter was Phu Hiep in S. Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 111566
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
P W1 WESTON JL
CP O2 FEAVER DT
CE E4 SESSIONS DA
G E4 FOWLER DA

Passengers:
UNK UNK, GM, G;

Accident Summary:

ON 29 JULY 1970, WO1 WESTON AND 1LT FEAVER^ TOOK-OFF ON A DIRECT
COMBAT SUPPORT MISSION IN SUPPORT OF THE ^173RD AIRBORNE BRIGADE
(INFANTRY).^ THE FLIGHT, WAS A SINGLE SHIP MISSION. AT
APPROXIMATELY 1012 HOURS, AFTER REFUELING AT LZ UPLIFT, WO1
WESTON^ CALLED THE LOCAL CONTROLLING AGENCY, JUMPER CONTROL, FOR
DEPARTURE CLEARANCE. HE WAS GIVEN THE WIND DIRECTION AS
SOUTH-SOUTHEAST AND CLEARED FOR A SOUTH DEPARTURE. HE COMPLETED
HIS HOVER CHECK AND DEPARTED TO THE SOUTH. AFTER CLEARING ALL
OBSTACLES ^WO1 WESTON^ STARTED A SLOW LEFT TURN TOWARD HIGHWAY 1,
WHICH RUNS GENERALLY NORTH-SOUTH. AT APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 300
FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND AT 60 KNOTS AIRSPEED, A LOUD GRINDING
NOISE CONTINUED. IT WAS THEN NOTED THAT ROTOR RPM WAS DECREASING
AND ENGINE RPM WAS INCREASING. HE IMMEDIATELY ENTERED
AUTOROTAITON. HE MADE A 65 DEGREES RIGHT TURN TOWARD THE NEAREST
FORCED LANDING AREA. IT WAS THEN NOTED THAT THE LOUD GRINDING
NOISE HAD SUBSIDED AND ^WO1 WESTON^ ROLLED THE THROTTLE BACK ON,
BUT HAD TO VERY QUICKLY REDUCE IT AGAIN AS THE ENGINE RPM
OVERSPED AND THE ROTOR RPM DROPPED TO APPROXIMATELY 6000. BY THIS
TIME HE WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE GROUND. HE DECELERATED AND
ATTEMPTED TO CUSHION THE AIRCRAFT DOWN. THE HEEL OF THE RIGHT
SKID MADE FIRST GROUND CONTACT THEN IMMEDIATELY BECAME AIRBORNE
AGAIN, FOLLOWED 21 FEET LATER BY THE HEEL OF THE LEFT SKID MAKING
A LIGHT GROUND CONTACT AND ALSO BECOMING AIRBORNE, FOLLOWED 12
FEET LATER BY HARD GROUND CONTACT ON THE RIGHT SKID WHICH CAUSED
THE SKID TO SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. FROM THIS POINT THE
AIRCRAFT TRAVELED AN ADDITIONAL 38 FEET ACROSS THE GROUND, STRUCK
A DIKE ONE FOOT WIDE AND SEVEN INCHES HIGH. THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE
AIRCRAFT (WITHOUT A SKID) MET LESS RESISTANCE CROSSING THE DIKE
THAN DID THE LEFT SKID IN CUTTING THROUGH THE DIKE. THIS CAUSED
THE AIRCRAFT TO TURN 90 DEGREES LEFT. THE MAIN ROTOR CHOPPED THE
TAIL BOOM OFF JUST AFT THE SYNCHRONIZED ELEVATOR JUST AFTER
COMPLETION OF THE 90 DEGREES LEFT TURN. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED 11
FEET AFTER CROSSING THE DIKE. ^WO1 WESTON^ SHUT THE AIRCRAFT
DOWN, TURNED OFF ALL SWITCHES, AND THE ENTIRE CREW EXITED THE AIRCRAFT.\\

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16186
The Army purchased this helicopter 0367
Total flight hours at this point: 00003242
Date: 08/12/1971
Accident case number: 710812121
Unit: 174^th AHC
The station for this helicopter was Chu Lai in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 590
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 MCMAHON GT

Accident Summary:

WHILE IN HOVER HOLE DISCHARGING PASSENGERS, TAIL ROTOR WAS STRUCK BY UNKNOWN OBJECT. AIRCRAFT FLEW TO LZ
PROFESSIONAL AND LANDED. MAINTENANCE REPAIRED AIRCRAFT AT LZ.\\

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16186
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 0367.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.