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Last Modified: Friday October 10th, 2025


Helicopter UH-1H 66-16701

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16701

The Army purchased this helicopter 0867
Total flight hours at this point: 00001823
Date: 02/13/1969
Accident case number: 690213081
Unit: 134th AHC
The station for this helicopter was Phu Hiep in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 6036
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC O2 NICOLAS WT

Accident Summary:
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: 134th 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 ROBERT 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 WCLQAA 335 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN
6709 67 WCLQAA 335 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN
6710 98 WCLQAA 335 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN
6711 116 WCLQAA 335 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN
6712 107 WCLQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6801 132 WCLQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6802 90 WCLQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6803 118 WCLQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6804 86 WCLQAA 335 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN
6805 79 WCLQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6806 131 WCLQAA 335 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6807 89 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6808 86 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6809 82 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6810 99 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6811 73 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6812 126 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6901 124 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6902 112 WC07AA 134 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6903 39 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN