Helicopter UH-1D 66-16596

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16596
The Army purchased this helicopter 0767
Total flight hours at this point: 00000808
Date: 02/23/68
Incident number: 680223131ACD Accident case number: 680223131 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 170 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Pleiku / CP Schmidt in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: AP881484
Number killed in accident = 9 . . Injured = 2 . . Passengers = 7
costing 456354
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 WO1 HIGHT WILLIAM REID KIA
P W1 KIRBY MR
CE SP4 GREEN ROBERT EARL KIA
G E3 HOLBROOK TM

Passengers:
LTC ETHERIDGE JAMES RALPH, AR, PX, KIA; MAJ PURSER CHARLES EDWARD, AR, PX, KIA; CIV HAMBLIN RN, MC, PX, KIA; NO NAME, PAX, A; NO NAME, PAX, A; NO NAME, PAX, A; NO NAME, PAX, A;

Accident Summary:

On climb out, aircraft EGT was not normal. Mission continued. Later engine failed. Pilot tried landing but crashed into trees and the ground

This record was last updated on 09/20/98

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: WO1 William Reid Hight
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 02/23/68 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 23.7
Date of Birth: 06/19/44
Home City: Charleston, SC
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 170 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 66-23
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 40E-074
Short Summary: Engine failure south of Ban Me Thout. About 4 days before returning home.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16596
Service number: W3155280
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: Engine Failure
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Started Tour: 03/05/67
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Unknown Province
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died while missing
single 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 07/28/94

Name: CIV R. N. Hamblin
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 02/23/68 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Service: Unknown service.
Service: Unknown service.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16596
Country: South Vietnam
"Official" listing: ground casualty
male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
This record was last updated on 02/14/99

Name: LTC James Ralph Etheridge
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 02/23/68 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Age at death: 35.3
Date of Birth: 10/23/32
Home City: Milledgeville, GA
Service: IN branch of the regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: MACV Advisors
Major organization: MACV advisors
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 40E-073
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16596
Service number: O70182
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 82162
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Started Tour: 10/14/66
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 14
Location: Tuyen Duc Province II Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married 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: officer
This record was last updated on 03/05/94

Name: MAJ Charles Edward Purser
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 02/23/68 while performing the duty of Passenger.
Age at death: 38.8
Date of Birth: 05/22/29
Home City: Tuscaloosa, AL
Service: IN branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: MACV Advisors
Major organization: MACV advisors
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 41E-002
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16596
Service number: O2262532
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 82162
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: passenger
Started Tour: 08/25/67
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 20
Location: Tuyen Duc 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: officer
This record was last updated on 03/05/94

Name: SP4 Robert Earl Green
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 02/23/68 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 20.7
Date of Birth: 06/06/47
Home City: Waco, TX
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 170 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 40E-074
Short Summary: Crashed on left side killing AC, CE & G while hauling RVN dignitaries. All others including P W1 KIRBY survived. Probably overloaded.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16596
Call sign: Bikini Blue
Service number: 15805119
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N20 = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Compliment cause: weapons
Started Tour: 05/26/67
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Tuyen Duc Province II Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Nazarene
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 07/24/94

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16596
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.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6707   3    3 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6708  83   86 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6709 110  196 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6710 169  365 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6711 140  505 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6712 114  619 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6801 124  743 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6802  65  808 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6803   0  808 3364   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY

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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