On short final, the main rotor hit a tree.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16394
The Army purchased this helicopter 0567
Total flight hours at this point: 00001849
Date: 03/07/71
Incident number: 710307011ACD Accident case number: 710307011 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 326 MED 101 ABN
The station for this helicopter was Camp Eagle in Laos
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 4 . . Passengers = 2
costing 289345
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 O2 DEFREITAS EA
P W2 JONES JL
CE E4 PICKINS RL
MD SGT WIELER JAMES LAWRENCE KIA
Passengers:
E4 R WELLS, M, D;
Accident Summary:
THE CREW OF ^#394^ REPORTED TO THE FLIGHT LINE AT CAMP EAGLE AT APPROXIMATELY 0730 HOURS, PERFORMED A PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION, START AND RUN-UP WITHOUT INCIDENT THEN REPORTED NOTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE WHILE ENROUTE OTHER THAN INOPERATIVE UHF AND VHF RADIOS. THE FLIGHT WAS MADE AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1500 FEET. THE PILOT MAINTAINED ALTITUDE TO RELAY A RADIO MESSAGE UNTIL ABREAST OF CAMP EVANS, CONTACTED EVANS TOWER FOR LANDING INSTRUCTIONS AND WERE CLEARED TO LAND TO THE NORTH ON ^"C" MED^ PAD. ^CW2 JONES^ INITIATED A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN TO BASE LEG. AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET INDICATED ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED OF 60 KNOTS HE WITNESSED A LOUD "SCREECHING" NOISE FROM THE ENGINE SECTION OF THE HELICOPTER, THE AIRCRAFT YAWED 10 - 15 TO THE RIGHT THEN STREAMLINED. HE FELT THE CONTROL RESPONSES REMAINED NORMAL BUT IMMEDIATELY RELINQUISHED CONTROLS TO ^1LT DEFREITAS^ WHO INITIATED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TOWARD A CONEX LANDMARK SOUTH OF THE CAMP EVANS RUNWAY. EVANS TOWER WAS ADVISED OF THEIR INTENTIONS. AS THE AIRSPEED DISSIPATED TO APPROXIMATELY 40-45 KNOTS ON THE APPROACH THE HELICOPTER BEGAN AN ACCELERATING RIGHT TURN THEN STARTED A FLAT SPIN TO THE RIGHT. ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN AIRSPEED WERE FUTILE AND THEY REPORTED TO EVANS TOWER THEY WERE GOING TO CRASH. THE TOWER OPERATOR OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT WHILE IN A RIGHT SPIN. CREW STATEMENTS INDICATE THE HELICOPTER INITIALLY IMPACTED ON ITS LEFT FRONT SIDE AND ROLLED AT LEAST TWO TIMES BEFORE COMING TO REST INVERTED. ALL SURVIVING CREWMEMBERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INCIDENT AND THEN BEGAN SEARCHING FOR ^SP4 WEILER^. HE WAS LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE WRECKAGE STILL SECURED TO THE AIRFRAME BY HIS RESTRAINING (MONKEY) HARNESS. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO READ HIS PULSE BUT IT WAS EVIDENT HE HAD DIED INSTANTLY. AN ALERT TOWER OPERATOR DIRECTED AIRCRAFT TO THE SCENE IMMEDIATELY AND A HASTY RIG WAS ATTACHED TO ENABLE A CH-47 TO LEFT THE HELICOPTER TO RECOVER ^SP4 WEILER'S BODY^. THE WRECKAGE WAS REMOVED TO THE AIRFIELD RAMP AREA AT CAMP EVANS AND ALL CREW MEMBERS WERE EVACUATED TO ^COMPANY C, 326TH MEDICAL BATTALION^ AT CAMP EVAN.\\
This record was last updated on 09/20/98
The following is crew member information for this incident:
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16394
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.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6705 1 1 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVCOM 6706 0 1 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVCOM 6707 61 62 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6708 51 113 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6709 106 219 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6710 143 362 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6711 121 483 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6712 97 580 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6801 100 680 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6802 59 739 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6803 0 739 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6804 0 739 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6805 0 739 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6806 0 739 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6807 2 741 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6808 0 741 3300 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6809 46 787 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6810 55 842 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6811 60 902 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6812 60 962 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6901 48 1010 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6902 29 1039 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6903 39 1078 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6904 39 1117 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6905 64 1181 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6906 38 1219 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6907 43 1262 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6908 57 1319 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6909 13 1332 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6910 44 1376 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6911 46 1422 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 6912 27 1449 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7001 35 1484 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7002 24 1508 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7003 52 1560 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7004 59 1619 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7005 19 1638 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7006 28 1666 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7007 43 1709 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7008 26 1735 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7009 20 1755 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7010 47 1802 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7011 15 1817 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7012 0 1817 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD VIETNAM RVN 7101 3 1820 WACFT0 326TH MED BN VIETNAM RVN 7102 29 1849 WACFT0 326TH MED BN VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870
Printed from databases on: 02/27/99
Return to Main Index
Copyright © 1998 and 1999 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association