While hovering over trees for a pickup by ladder, a tree bent by the rotor wash flapped into the tail rotor. Because of the damaged tail rotor, a hard touchdown was made.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16153
The Army purchased this helicopter 0367
Total flight hours at this point: 00000652
Date: 12/27/67
Accident case number: 671227101
Unit: 355 AVN
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 3000
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
AC O2 LINDSEY JG
Accident Summary:
While in flight, the engine failed. An autorotation was made to an area covered with tall brush. On touch down the main rotor blades hit brush and damaged them slightly.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16153
The Army purchased this helicopter 0367
Total flight hours at this point: 00001531
Date: 11/06/68
Accident case number: 681106131
Unit: 189 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Pleiku in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 1000
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
P O2 HEDRICK WM
Accident Summary:
ACFT LND NEAR CONEX CONTAINER TO OFF LOAD FLARES AS IT PICKED UP TO HOVER TO REVETMENT THE CONEX DOOR SWUNG INTO STINGER & CAUSED T/R TO HIT CONEX CONTAINER \
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16153
The Army purchased this helicopter 0367
Total flight hours at this point: 00001576
Date: 12/16/68
Accident case number: 681216151
Unit: 189 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Pleiku / CP Schmidt in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 4 . . Passengers = 0
costing 107323
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 AHNEMAN PJ
P W1 SWANSON DG
CE E4 LEDBETTER PJ
G UNK WEEKS
Accident Summary:
ON THE ^16TH OF DECEMBER 1968, 1LT PHILLIP J. AHNEMAN AND WO1 DAVID C. SWANSON^ WERE FLYING IN AIRCRAFT ^#66-16153^ OF THE ^189TH AHC^. THEY WERE FLYING A MISSION FOR THE ^5TH SPECIAL FORCES^ WORKING OUT OF ^KONTUM^. AT ABOUT ^1300 HOURS^ THEY PICKED UP SIX PASSENGERS AT ^KONTUM^ AND HEADED FOR A ^SPECIAL FORCES CAMP NORTHWEST OF DAK TO^. THEY WERE ADVISED BY THE TOWER TO LAND SHORT AND WAIT UNTIL A REFUELING POINT WAS OPEN. AFTER THE REFUELING AREA WAS CLEAR, ^1LT AHNEMAN^ PICKED THE SHIP UP TO A HOVER AND MOVED OVER ONE OF THE REFUELING PADS AND STARTED TO SIT DOWN. AT APPROXIMATELY ONE FOOT OFF THE GOUND, THE SHIP STARTED A SLOW TURN TO THE RIGHT. ^1LT AHNEMAN^ IMMEDIATELY APPLIED LEFT PEDAL TO STOP THE TURN. WITH FULL LEFT PEDAL IN THE SHIP STOPPED MOMENTARILY AND THEN STARTED SPINNING VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT. ^1LT AHNEMAN^ THEN REALIZED THAT HE HAD A TAIL ROTOR FAILURE OF SOME SORT AND STARTED TO ROLL THE THROTTLE OFF TO EXECUTE A HOVERING AUTOROTATION. PHOTOGRAPH #1 SHOWS THAT THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE NOT DAMAGED ON IMPACT AND PROBABLY WERE NOT TURNING WHEN THE SHIP FINALLY CAME TO REST. THE THROTTLE WAS HARD TO TURN AND BEFORE ^1LT AHNEMAN^ COULD ROLL THE THROTTLE COMPLETELY OFF, THE SHIP HIT THE GROUND STILL SPINNING TO THE RIGHT. IT IS KNOWN THAT THE THROTTLE HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP ON A PREVIOUS FLIGHT FOR STICKING AND BEING HARD TO TURN. THE MAINTENANCE CREW OF THE ^604TH TRANS. DET.^ CHECKED THE THROTTLE AND SIGNED IT OFF AS BEING WITHIN LIMITS. THE 2408-13 SHOWING THIS WRITE UP COULD NOT BE FOUND EITHER AT THE ^540TH TRANS. DET^ IN ^QUI NHON^ WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS EVACUATED OR AT THE ^604TH TRANS DET.^ THE THROTTLE WAS CHECKED AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND FOUND TO TURN HARDER THAN NORMAL, BUT WELL WITHIN LIMITS. THE PILOT HAD STARTED TO HELP ROLL THE THROTTLE OFF, BUT BEFORE HE COULD REACH IT THE SHIP HAD HIT THE GROUND. HE THEN BRACED FOR THE CRASH. AFTER THE SHIP HAD HIT THE FIRST TIME, IT BOUNCED INTO THE AIR AGAIN STILL SPINNING, TO THE RIGHT. ^1LT AHNEMAN^ HAD HELD THE PITCH WHERE IT WAS AND AT THIS TIME DECIDED TO BOTTOM THE PITCH IN ORDER TO GET THE AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT HIT HARD JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE REFUELING PAD. THE LEFT SKID HIT LEVEL BUT THE RIGHT SKID HIT ON SOME SAND BAGS THAT WERE COVERING A REFUELING HOSE. ON IMPACT, THE RIGHT SKID BROKE AND CAUSED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. PHOTOGRAPH #2 SHOWS THE IMPACT OF THE SKIDS AND THE ARROW POINTS TO WHERE A PIECE OF RELIEF VALVE THAT BROKE OFF ON IMPACT WAS FOUND. WHEN THE RIGHT SKID BROKE IT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER AND HIT ON ITS LEFT SIDE. PHOTOGRAPH #3 SHOWS THE POINT OF IMPACT WHERE RIVETS FROM THE LEFT SIDE WERE FOUND AND THE ARROW POINTS TO A PIECE OF SAND BAG THAT WAS PICKED UP ON IMPACT. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT HIT ON ITS SIDES, THE ROTOR BLADES CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. PHOTOGRAPH #4 SHOWS WHERE THE ROTOR BLADES CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BOUNCE AND HIT AGAIN. A SMALL FIRE WAS STARTED BUT WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED BY THE GROUND CREW. THE PILOT WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS BY THE IMPACT AND WAS PULLED FROM THE WRECKAGE BY THE CREW CHIEF. AFTER ALL THE CREW AND PASSENGERS WERE CLEAR OF THE WRECKAGE, THE CREW CHIEF WENT BACK TO TURN ALL THE SWITCHES OFF TO KILL THE ENGINE. THE CREW SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES WHILE THE PASSENGERS WERE UNHURT. PHOTOGRAPHS 5 AND 6 SHOW THE AIRCRAFT IN ITS FINAL RESTING PLACE TAKEN FROM THE EAST AND NORTH.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16153
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 0 0 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVCOM 6705 9 9 3326 ARMY AVN DIV 6TH ARMY DUGWAY PG TEVALCOM 6706 87 96 3326 USARV FLT DET VIETNAM RVN 6707 107 203 3326 USARV FLT DET VIETNAM RVN 6708 100 303 3326 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6709 116 419 3326 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6710 10 429 3326 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6711 85 514 3326 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6712 138 652 3326 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6801 0 652 3326 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6802 61 713 3326 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6803 145 858 3326 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6804 123 981 3326 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6805 110 1091 3326 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6806 102 1193 3326 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6807 60 1253 3326 OPM SEA NITEOPS 1ST ARMY FORT BELVOIR AMC 6808 44 1297 3326 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6809 84 1381 3326 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6810 100 1481 3326 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6811 50 1531 WDUVAA 189 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6812 45 1576 WC5CAA 572ND MI DET VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870
Printed from databases on: 04/02/99
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