Information on helicopter 66-16276

Helicopter UH-1H 66-16276

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16276
The Army purchased this helicopter 0467
Total flight hours at this point: 00001005
Date: 08/02/1969
Accident case number: 690802021
Unit: 254 MED DET
The station for this helicopter was Nha Trang in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 6072
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W2 JONES D
P W1 COVERT C

Accident Summary:
ACFT on urgent medivac & was diverted to support pad to pick up tools for GND unit
to cut LZ while sitting on pad a jeep with whip antenna pulled up next to the ACFT
M/R blades hit antenna causing minor blade DMG

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16276
The Army purchased this helicopter 0467
Total flight hours at this point: 00002177
Date: 02/03/1971
Accident case number: 710203151 Total loss or fatality Accident Unit: 92 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Dong Ba Thin in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 7 . . Passengers = 3
costing 244345

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 W1 LATER DE
P X1 BE TV
CE E4 CESSAN NB
G E4 ARMSTRONG D

Passengers:
, PAX, D;
, PAX, D;
, PAX, D;

Accident Summary:
ON 3 FEB 71, AT 0700 HOURS, ARMY AIRCRAFT UH-1H, SN: 66-16276 DEPARTED DONG BA THIN FOR A RE-SUPPLY MISSION WITH THE 29TH ROK
REGIMENT. AT 1200 HOURS THE CREW SHUTDOWN FOR LUNCH AT NINH HOA. AT 1530 THEY DEPARTED NINH HOA WITH CARGO AND PASSENGERS
CONSISTING OF 20 CASES OF C-RATIONS, 3 FIVE GALLON WATER CANS, AND 3 KOREANS. 2LT BE, VNAF FLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LZ AT AN
ALTITUDE OF 300 FEET INDICATED. SINCE THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME INTO THE LZ, A HIGH RECONNAISSANCE WAS MADE FOLLOWED BY A LEFT
DESCENDING TURN TO INITIATE THE APPROACH. THE KOREANS ON THE GROUND "POPPED" SMOKE WHICH INDICATED THE WINDS WERE CALM IN THE
LZ. ON FINAL LT. BE HAD NOT LOST SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE PRIOR TO REACHING THE LZ, NECESSITATING A VERTICAL DESCENT. STOPPING ALL
FORWARD MOTION AT 100-150' AND WITHOUT STABILIZING AT HOVER, LT BE CONTINUED A DESCENT TO THE LZ BY REDUCING COLLECTIVE. DURING
THIS DESCENT THE SINK RATE BECAME EXCESSIVE. REALIZING THE SINK RATE WAS HIGH, LT BE APPLIED COLLECTIVE TO SLOW THEDESCENT. THE
FAST DESCENT STILL CONTINUED AND THE ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DETERIORATE. THE LOW RPM AUDIO CAME ON AS WO1 LATER THE
AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, TOOK THE CONTROLS. STILL DESCENDING AND WITH 5700 RPM, THE AC PULLED THE REMAINING COLLECTIVE PITCH TO CUSHION
THE LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT HIT HARD IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE AND BOUNCED ABOUT 4 FEET STARTING A 180 TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE
AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND A SECOND TIME APPROXIMATELY 90 TO THE ORIGINAL FLIGHT PATH. IT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT DOWN A 30 ROCK SLOPE
TEARING OFF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED 11/2 TIMES AND CAME TO REST INVERTED IN A RELATIVELY LEVEL AREA. THE ENGINE
CONTINUED TO RUN SO THE AC SHUT OFF THE FUEL. HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE FLIGHT IDLE DETENT RELEASE SO THE ENGINE RAN FOR ABOUT
30 SECONDS UNTIL FUEL STARVATION. THE AC MADE A "MAYDAY" CALL, COMPLETED SHUTDOWN, AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT AND THE
REST OF THE CREW IMMEDIATELY LEFT THE AIRCRAFT FOR FEAR OF FIRE. ONE KOREAN PASSENGER HAD HIS LEGS PINNED UNDER THE AIRCRAFT.
SEVERAL KOREAN SOLDIERS CAME TO THE CRASH SIGHT AND HELPED THE CREW RAISE THE AIRCRAFT UNTIL THE TRAPPED KOREAN COULD BE FREE.
THE EXTENT OF INJURY TO THE KOREAN PASSENGER IS UNKNOWN. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT BURN AND DID NOT HAVE CRASH WORTHY FUEL CELLS. A
KOREAN COMPANY PROVIDED SECURITY FOR THE AIRCRAFT.\\

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16276 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 0467. Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST         COUNTRY
6704   1    1 WQ1CAA GEN SUPPLY DIV   4THARMY    RED RIVER AD        AVCOM          
6705   0    1 9221   ARMY AVN DIV     6TH ARMY   DUGWAY PG        TEVALCOM     
6706   0    1 9221   USARV FLT DET    VIETNAM                          RVN      
6707  21   22 WDFJAA 134 AVN CO       3RD ARMY   FORT BRAGG       3RD ARMY      
6708  28   50 WDFJAA 134 AVN CO       3RD ARMY   FORT BRAGG       3RD ARMY      
6709  32   82 WDFJAA 134 AVN CO       3RD ARMY   FORT BRAGG       3RD ARMY      
6710   0   82 WDFJAA 134 AVN CO       3RD ARMY   FORT BRAGG       3RD ARMY      
6711   0   82 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                          RVN      
6712  31  113 3451   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY  
6801   0  113 3451   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY 
6802   0  113 3451   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY 
6803  31  144 3235   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY  
6804  37  181 3451   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH            AVCOM     
6805  51  232 3451   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY  
6806   0  232 3451   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY 
6807  62  294 3451   OPM SEA NITEOPS  1ST ARMY   FORT BELVOIR          AMC          
6808  58  352 3451   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                     PACIFIC 
6809  94  446 3451   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                     PACIFIC 
6810  42  488 3451   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                     PACIFIC 
6811  77  565 WBSYAA 254 MED DET      VIETNAM                          RVN     
6812  49  614 WBSYAA 254 MED DET      VIETNAM                          RVN     
6901  65  679 WBSYAA 254 MED DET      VIETNAM                          RVN     
6902  48  727 WBSYAA 254 MED DET      VIETNAM                          RVN     
6903  33  760 WBSYAA 254 MED DET      VIETNAM                          RVN     
6904  52  812 WBSYAA 254 MED DET      VIETNAM                          RVN     
6905  76  888 WBSYAA 254 MED DET      VIETNAM                          RVN     
6906  55  943 WBSYAA 254 MED DET      VIETNAM                          RVN     
6907  62 1005 WBSYAA 254 MED DET      VIETNAM                          RVN     
6908   0 1005 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                          RVN     
6909   0 1005 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                          RVN     
6910   0 1005 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                          RVN     
6911   0 1005 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                          RVN     
6912   0 1005 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                          RVN     
7001   0 1005 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                          RVN     
7002  52 1057 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                          RVN     
7003  97 1154 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                          RVN     
7004 174 1328 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                          RVN     
7005 147 1475 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                          RVN     
7006 104 1579 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                          RVN     
7007  78 1657 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                          RVN     
7008 111 1768 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                          RVN     
7009 112 1880 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                          RVN     
7010  91 1971 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                          RVN     
7011  50 2021 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                          RVN     
7012  60 2081 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                          RVN     
7101  96 2177 WAX6AA 92 AHC           VIETNAM                          RVN     
7102   0 2177 WC5EAA 608 TC DS        VIETNAM                          RVN

Last Modified: Sunday March 31^st, 2024