Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: UH1P2, 72644, Paul Fadz ()
Summary: Felt something hit the ship, then lost power. Autorotated and tail boom was heavily damaged during the forced landing. No one was hurt.
Crew Members:
AC O2 PULLUM DM
P W1 MULDOON RE
CE E4 FADZ PR
G E3 EVANS EJ
Accident Summary:
In flight at 1,500 feet, one bolt securing the coupler clamp at the engine output shaft failed. Suspect
FOD to the engine by ingesting the bolt. The pilot autorotated to a bushy area and severed 6 foot of the tail boom on landing.
Analysis revealed that the threads of the nut were stripped. Suspect the nut was overtorqued during installation
War Story:
554 was the oldest ship in the company at this time. Its hydraulic system and several other components were different from the newer
ships we had. I had a hard time getting parts and spent some time at Pleiku’s junk yard. We weren’t supposed to take
part from the wrecks there because most of them had experience sudden stoppages, but it was either that or wecouldn’t fly that ship.
554 had several leaks and we always had power problems. On this day we had been doing troop movements all day long. For some time now
I had been tape recording our missions. I had a reel to reel recorder positioned in a spare flight helmet. We were flying in the
north - maybe in the Dak To area. We were returning empty when we may have taken a hit. I believe I felt something hit the ship because
it lurched and then lost power. We went into an autorotation and touched down in a muddy area. The tail boom hit first and was really bent.
No one was hurt. I jumped out of the helicopter and made certain I had my tape recorder. We moved a short distance from the ship. We were
basically in the open and I wasn’t thinking all that clearly. One of the pilots asked if I was going to get my M-60, you know, in case the
bad guys started acting up. Suddenly reality hit me and I said to myself - machine gun, good idea! We weren’t on the ground more than five
minutes before someone retrieved us. 554 was hooked out. I remember seeing it in the Pleiku junk yard. I still have the tape recordings!
Contributed by Paul R. Fadz, Nov 1996. VHPA note: Huey 64-13554 was rebuilt because the records show it served with the 134th and was finally
destroyed on 25 May 1972 while serving with the 61st AHC
This record was last updated on 11/22/1996
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 64-13554
The Army purchased this helicopter 0265
Total flight hours at this point: 00003288
Date: 10/13/1971
Accident case number: 711013031
Unit: 134 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Tuy Hoa in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 6000
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
AC W1 STAUNTON RH
Accident Summary:
DURING APPROACH TO LZ MAIN ROTOR BLADES MADE CONTACT WITH A TREE.\\
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 64-13554
The Army purchased this helicopter 0265
Total flight hours at this point: 00003635
Date: 05/25/1972
Incident number: 72052525.KIA
Unit: 57 AHC
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: ZA237896
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
AC 1LT FARRIS GARY BRUCE KIA
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: 1LT Gary Bruce Farris
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 05/25/1972 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 23.3
Date of Birth: 01/18/1949
Home City: Shawnee, OK
Service: SC branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 57 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 71-40
Service: SC branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01W-032
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 64-13554
SSN: 446467099
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: co-pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 02/17/1972
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Kontum Province II Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: ZA235893
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 11/09/1997
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 64-13554
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 0265.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6610 61 1248 WC7ZAA 155 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6611 101 1349 WC7ZAA 155 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6612 94 1443 WC7ZAA 155 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6701 101 1544 WC7ZAA 155 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6702 79 1623 WC7ZAA 155 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6703 138 1761 WC7ZAA 155 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6704 85 1846 WC7ZAA 155 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 6705 26 1872 3364 ARMY AVN DIV 6TH ARMY DUGWAY PG TEVALCOM 6706 0 1872 W0MUAA ARADMAC 4TH ARMY NAVAL AIR STA AVCOM 6707 0 1872 W0MUAA ARADMAC 4TH ARMY NAVAL AIR STA AVCOM 6708 0 1872 W0MUAA ARADMAC 4TH ARMY NAVAL AIR STA AVCOM 6709 0 1872 W0MUAA ARADMAC 4TH ARMY NAVAL AIR STA AVCOM 6710 0 1872 W0MUAA ARADMAC 4TH ARMY NAVAL AIR STA AVCOM 6711 0 1872 W0MUAA ARADMAC 4TH ARMY NAVAL AIR STA AVCOM 6712 0 1872 W0MUAA ARADMAC 4TH ARMY NAVAL AIR STA AVCOM 6801 0 1872 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6802 0 1872 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6803 0 1872 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6804 0 1872 8005 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6805 0 1872 8005 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6806 0 1872 8005 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6807 0 1872 8005 OPM SEA NITEOPS 1ST ARMY FORT BELVOIR AMC 6808 0 1872 8005 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6809 0 1872 8005 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6810 0 1872 8005 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6811 0 1872 8005 POST SUPPLY 6TH ARMY FORT ORD 6TH ARMY 6812 0 1872 8005 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6901 0 1872 8005 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6902 11 1883 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN VIETNAM RVN 6903 49 1932 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN VIETNAM RVN 6904 71 2003 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN VIETNAM RVN 6905 18 2021 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6906 18 2039 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6907 137 2176 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6908 162 2338 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6909 111 2449 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6910 48 2497 WCLGAA 20 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 6911 0 2497 WCLGAA 20 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 6912 0 2497 WCLGAA 20 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7001 1 2498 WCLGAA 20 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7002 7 2505 WCLGAA 20 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7003 2 2507 WCLGAA 20 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7004 0 2507 WCLGAA 20 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7005 67 2574 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7006 46 2620 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7007 134 2754 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7008 63 2817 WCYNAA HHC 145 AVN BN VIETNAM RVN 7009 0 2817 WHB1AA 166 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7010 0 2817 W1BSAA OFC NAV RESCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ELECTRON 7011 0 2817 W1BSAA OFC NAV RESCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ELECTRON 7012 0 2817 W1BSAA OFC NAV RESCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ELECTRON 7101 0 2817 W1BSAA NAVAL AIR CTR LOAN PATUXENT AVSCOM 7102 2 2819 W1BSAA NAVAL RESEARCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ECOM 7103 2 2821 W1BSAA NAVAL RESEARCH LOAN U MICHIGAN ECOM 7104 3 2824 NAT GUARD NAT GDZI 7105 91 2915 WC07AA 134 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7106 27 2942 WC07AA 134 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7107 81 3023 WC07AA 134 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7108 134 3157 WC07AA 134 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7109 64 3221 WC07AA 79 TC CO VIETNAM RVN 7110 67 3288 WC07AA 134 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7111 33 3321 WC07AA 134 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7112 31 3352 WC07AA 61 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7201 138 3490 WAYPAA 61 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7202 34 3524 WAYPAA 61 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7203 4 3528 WAYPAA 604TH TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7204 24 3552 WAYPAA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7205 83 3635 WAYPAA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN
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