---

Helicopter UH-1H 66-16632

---

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16632

The Army purchased this helicopter 0767
Total flight hours at this point: 00001362
Date: 07/26/1970
Incident number: 700726071ACD Accident case number: 700726071 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 498^th MED
The station for this helicopter was Qui Nhon in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 3 . . Passengers = 2
costing 305145
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 NORTON RT
P WO1 PARKER WILLIAM AVALON KIA
CE E3 KNOWLES L

Passengers:
E5 RA HISE, M, D;
E3 M BROWN, PAX, D;

Accident Summary:

ON 26 JULY 1970 NORTON, ROBERT T., WO1, 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^th 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.