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Helicopter UH-1H 6-16368

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Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16368

The Army purchased this helicopter 0567
Total flight hours at this point: 00001612
Date: 07/17/1969
Accident case number: 690717251
Unit: 134^th AHC
The station for this helicopter was Phu Hiep AAF in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 7000
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 OSDEN SD

Accident Summary:
MAIN ROTOR STRUCK TREES ON T/P ICDT DAM BOTH M/R BLADES \

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16368
The Army purchased this helicopter 0567
Total flight hours at this point: 00001612
Date: 08/19/1969
Accident case number: 690819281 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 134^th AHC
The station for this helicopter was Tuy Hoa in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 1 . . Passengers = 0
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 SCHADE WJ
P W1 JAMES PE
G E3 PAINE GW

Accident Summary:

AIRCRAFT WAS ON A NORMAL RESUPPLY MISSIN FOR THE CAPITOL ROK INF
DIV., RESUPPLYING A CAV UNIT SOUTH OF THE AN KHE PASS. THIS WAS
THE FIRST TIME THAT WO1 JAMES HAD BEEN INTO THIS AREA ON THIS
TYPE OF MISSION SO THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER DECIDED TO TAKE THE
FIRST LOAD IN. THE CARGO WAS PICKED UP AT BINH KHE. THE
AIRCRAFT COMMANDER THEN MADE AN EASTERLY DEPARTURE THEN MADE A
SLOW 180 DEG TURN AND FLEW DOWN THE VALLEY. THIS ROUTE WAS
CHOSEN BECAUSE OF FRIENDLY ARTY FIRING TO THE WEST. ONCE OVER
THE AREA THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER MADE A DESCENDING TURN,
IDENTIFIED SMOKE, AND HE THEN NOTICED THE LZ WAS TOO SMALL AND
MOVED TO AN ALTERNATE LZ. THE ALTERNATE LZ WAS ON THE SIDE OF A
STEEP HILL WITH A SLOPE OF ABOUT 45-50 DEG AND COVERED WITH
ELEPHANT GRASS APPROXIMATELY 8-10 FEET HIGH. THE CARGO WAS
UNLOADED FROM A 12 FOOT HOVER AND THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED. THE
SECOND FLIGHT WAS MADE BY WO1 JAMES IN THE SAME MANNER. IT WAS
NOTED AT TAKEOFF THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS HOVERING WITH 35# N2 AND
95% N1. WO1 JAMES BROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT TO A 12 FOOT HOVER IN THE
LZ, HOWEVER THE KOREAN PERSONNEL ON BOARD DID NOT UNLOAD THE
AIRCRAFT. MR. SCHADE TURNED AROUND TO TELL THE KOREANS THAT THIS
WAS THE SAME LZ AND TO SUPERVISE THE UNLOADING. APPROXIMATELY 15
SECONDS AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A HOVER IN THE LZ THE RPM
STARTED TO BLEED. AT THIS TIME MR. JAMES DECIDED TO TAKEOFF.
THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER TURNED AROUND AND NOTICED THAT HIS PILOT
HAD IN FULL LEFT PEDAL AND WUS PULLING IN POWER WITH BLEEDING
RPM. HE TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AS THE RPM DROPPED BELOW
6000 AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT
MADE A 270 DEGREE TURN BEFORE THE TAIL CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE
SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN BREAKING THE TAIL BOOM OFF OF THE AIRCRAFT.
THE AIRCRAFT THEN MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND ROLLING ONTO ITS
LEFT SIDE. ALTHOUGH TEE GUNNER WAS STRAPPED IN, HE WAS THROWN
FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO BURN AS EVERYONE EXITED.\\

The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16368
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 0567.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.