Helicopter or incident 69-15454

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 69-15454
The Army purchased this helicopter 0670
Total flight hours at this point: 00000337
Date: 10/18/1970
Accident case number: 701018081
Unit: A/101 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Camp Eagle in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 3 . . Passengers = 1
costing 126032
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 W1 HYMAN ANDREW A
P O2 DODGE GEORGE S
G E4 DIORIO MARTIN A
CE SP4 TURNER JOSEPH C


Accident Summary:

 ON THE MORNING OF 18 OCTOBER 1970, WO1 HYMAN WAS ASSIGNED AS FLIGHT LEADER FOR A SERIES OF STANDARD COMBAT ASSAULT MISSIONS IN THE VICINITY OF GRID SQUARE ZC ON VIETNAM 1:25000 MAP SHEET 6541 II N. THE TERRAIN IN THIS AREA VARIES FROM SEA COAST IN THE N AND E THROUGH LOWLANDS IN THE CENTER AND MOUNTAIN RANGES IN THE S, SE AND SW. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN A LANDING ZONE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 3500' MSL. THE FIRST MISSION PROCEEDED AS PLANNED AND ALL CREWMEMBERS REPORTED NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. ALL AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. AFTER THE FIRST MISSION, THE FLIGHT OF 5 AIRCRAFT LANDED AT FIRE SUPPORT BASE ROY (ZD 055033) FOR REFUELING. THE FLIGHT, AGAIN LED BY WO1 HYMAN, DEPARTED ROY AT 1110 HRS FOR A PICK UP ZONE LOCATED AT ZC 155 995. THE FLIGHT ARRIVED AT THIS PZ AT 1120, LOADED THEIR INFANTRY PASSENGERS (5 IN WO1 HYMSN'S AIRCRAFT) AND DEPARTED FOR THE LZ AT 1125. THE PREPLANNED ARTILLERY PREPARATION OF THE LZ WAS A LITTLE LATE, AND COMBINED WITH THE LOW OVERCAST SKIES, CAUSED THE FLIGHT TO ORBIT FOR A FEW MINUTES. THE COMMAND AND CONTROL AIRCRAFT COMMANDER ADVISED THE FLIGHT TO APPROACH THE LZ FROM THE NW AND LAND TO THE SE, AS HAD BEEN ACCOMPLUSHED DURING PAST CA'S INTO THIS LZ. ADDITIONALLY, CLOUD COVER, AND POTENTIAL ENEMY ACITVITY AND HOSTILE FIRE, PREVENTED OVERFLYING THE LZ AT LOW ALTITUDE. AT SHORT FINAL TO THE LZ, ALL SYSTEMS OPERATING NORMALLY, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A VIOLENT RIGHT HAND (CLOCKWISE) SPIN. THE INDICATED N2 RPM WAS NOTED AT APPROXIMATELY 5600. REALIZING THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT GOING TO RECOVER BEFORE STRIKING THE GROUND, WO1 HUMAN ZEROED THE FORWARD AIRSPEED, APPLIED FULL COLLECTIVE PITCH AS THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED AND TOUCHED DOWN, INITIALLY ON THE SLOPING SE EDGE OF THE LZ. THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL TURNING CLOCKWISE, UNTIL THE TAILBOOM STRUCK A TREE CAUSING IT TO FALL OVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE. AFTER COMING TO REST WO1 HYMAN INSTRUCTED 1LT DODGE TO ASSIST HIM IN TURNING OFF THE BATTERY AND GENERATOR SWITCHES. HE ALSO HAD 1LT DODGE "ROLL OFF" THE THROTTLE, AS THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE FIVE INFANTRYMAN EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND SECURED THE IMMEDIATE AREA. THE FOUR CREWMEMBERS EXITED, REMOVED SENSITIVE EQUIPMENT AND WERE AIR LIFTED, BY ANOTHER HELICOPTER, TO THE 85TH EVACUATION HOSPITAL, PHU BAI, FOR OBSERVATION.\\

War Story:
The crewchief was/is Sp/4 Joseph C. Turner. Also, as the ship was on final the downdraft suck the bird PAST the LZ. The bird didn't hit anything until the tail rotor hit the trees and snapped. The bird rolled onto is right side pinning the DG in the gunwell. The gun mount stopped a tree stump from penetrating the DG's chicken plate. Right seat pilot Lt. Dodge was pinned to the right door interior by the cyclic. WO Hyman and DG freed the Lt's leg. And, finally, we were taken to the field hospital at Camp Eagle. Attending physician was Cptn. Masters. FROM: Martin DiOrio, [email protected]

This record was last updated on 03/02/2005
 

The following is Goldbook information on helicopter UH-1H tail number 69-15454
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 0670.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
197006   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
197007  87   87 WAB3A0 A-101 AHB 101AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197008 128  215 WAB3A0 A-101 AHB 101AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197009  53  268 WAB3A0 A-101 AHB 101AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197010  69  337 WE4HAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN     
197011   0  337 WE4HAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN