Helicopter UH-1D 66-16219

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16219
The Army purchased this helicopter 0367
Total flight hours at this point: 00000582
Date: 12/16/67
Incident number: 671216011ACD Accident case number: 671216011 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 170 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Pleiku / CP Schmidt in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 3 . . Injured = 7 . . Passengers = 6
costing 413954
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:
P WO1 KING THOMAS RAY KIA
P W1 EARLE RN
CE E4 HOOD AW
G E4 SNYDER LC

Passengers:
PFC KELLY FATHIES JR, AR, PX, KIA; E4 LENCKI JL, PAX, D; E3 BOULIER GL, PAX, D; PFC GROOVER JAMES COMPTON, AR, PX, KIA; E4 BOWLE R, PAX, D; O1 ERHARDT GH, PAX, D;

Accident Summary:

The aircraft departed north and failed to clear trees. After numerous blade strikes, it settled inverted at the base of 200 foot trees.

This record was last updated on 09/20/98

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: WO1 Thomas Ray King
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 12/16/67 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 19.7
Date of Birth: 04/20/48
Home City: Hyattsville, MD
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 170 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 67-13
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 32E-011
Short Summary: Short shaft failure at Firebase 6, 5 west of Dak To.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16219
Service number: W3157344
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: A/C Failure
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 10/04/67
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 01
Location: Kontum Province II Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Protestant - no denominational preference
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 08/20/95

Name: PFC James Compton Groover
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 12/16/67 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Age at death: 19.7
Date of Birth: 04/21/48
Home City: Jackson, MS
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 4 INF
Major organization: 4th Infantry Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 32E-010
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16219
Service number: 12868341
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 11B10 = Infantryman
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Started Tour: 10/03/67
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
Location: Kontum Province II Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Baptist - other groups
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: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/30/95

Name: PFC Fathies Kelly, Jr.
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 12/16/67 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Age at death: 20.7
Date of Birth: 04/08/47
Home City: New York, NY
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 4 INF
Major organization: 4th Infantry Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 32E-010
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16219
Service number: 10972471
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 11B10 = Infantryman
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Started Tour: 11/03/67
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Kontum Province II Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died while missing
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Negro
Relgion: Baptist - other groups
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: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/30/95

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16219
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 0367.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6703   0    0 W0Y6AA TRAN MDMHELCO S  ALASKA                      ALASKA  
6704   1    1 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN   6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD        AVCOM          
6705   0    1 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN   6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD        AVCOM          
6706   6    7 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6707  71   78 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6708  86  164 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6709 114  278 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6710 141  419 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6711 163  582 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN

Please send additions or corrections to:

Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870

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Printed from databases on: 02/27/99

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