Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15299
The Army purchased this helicopter 0169
Total flight hours at this point: 00001540
Date: 05/28/70
Accident case number: 700528261
Unit: 57 AHC
The station for this helicopter was An Khe in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 2500
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 DIEDRICH FR
P W1 BLACKBURN LH
CE E4 ACKER LF
G E3 WYLIE ME

Accident Summary: AIRCRAFT SN 68-15299 WAS WORKING FOR THE 5TH SPECIAL FORCES AT THE C-TEAM PAD AT PLEIKU. ITS MISSION INVOLVED TAKING SIX PASSENGERS FROM C-TEAM TO BEN HOT. THE SIX PASSENGERS WERE PICKED UP THERE AND THE AIR CRAFT TOOK OFF FOR BEN HOT. DUE TO THE MARGINAL WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME, THE PILOT IN CHARGE DECIDED TO FLY LOW LEVEL IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION. THE CEILING WAS APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET, AS ESTIMATED BY THE PILOT IN CHARGE, AND THE VISIBILITY WAS 6 TO 7 MILES WITH LIGHT FOG. AFTER ESTABLISHING THE AIRCRAFT AT LOW LEVEL, THE PILOT IN CHARGE RELINQUISHED THE CONTROLS TO THE CO-PILOT. THE CO-PILOT CONTINUED THE MISSION, FLYING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET AGL AND 100 KNOTS. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE KONTUM PASS, THE PILOTS OBSERVED THAT THE VISIBILITY HAD DROPPED TO ZERO TO THEIR IMMEDIATE FRONT DUE TO HEAVY GROUND FOG. THE PILOT IN CHARGE INSTRUCTED THE CO-PILOT TO GAIN SOME ALTITUDE AND TO MAKE A 180 DEGREE TURN IN ORDER TO AVOID THE FOG. THE CO-PILOT IMMEDIATELY MADE A HARD LEFT BANK BEFORE PULLING IN ANY ADDITIONAL POWER. THE PILOT IN CHARGE SHOUTED TO THE CO-PILOT TO GAIN ALTITUDE, AND THEN THE CO-PILOT PULLED IN ALL THE POWER HE HAD AVAILABLE. AT THIS POINT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE, SLIDING LEFT AND LOOSING ALTITUDE AND POWER. AS THE PILOT IN CHARGE TOOK THE CONTROLS, THE LEFT SKID, DOOR, AND CHIN BUBBLE CONTACTED THE TREES, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT. THE NOSE SECTION AND RIGHT CHIN BUBBLE THENWERE STRUCK BY THE TREES. THE FORCE OF IMPACT CAUSED BY THE TREES COUPLED WITH THE BLEEDING RPM SITUATION, INDUCED BY THE ABRUPT POWER CHANGE, CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO BEGIN TO SETTLE INTO THE TREES. AT THIS POINT, THE PILOT IN CHARGE WAS ABLE TO REGAIN HIS RPM, TO STABILIZE THE AIRCRAFT, AND TO MANEUVER IT CLEAR OF THE TREES.

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Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15299
The Army purchased this helicopter 0169
Total flight hours at this point: 00001583
Date: 07/21/70
Accident case number: 700721111 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 57 AHC
The station for this helicopter was An Khe in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 3 . . Passengers = 1
costing 244345
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 KELLY GW
P W1 WRIGHT CW
CE E4 PECK EL
G E3 MINIFEE WS

Passengers:
E5 JJ ULATOWSKI, PAX, D;
Accident Summary: THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A ROUTINE MISSION, HAULING RESUPPLY INTO ^4TH INF DIV TROOPS^ IN AND AROUND LZ LEWIS. THE AIRCRAFT HAD FIVE PASSENGERS ON BOARD, AND THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WAS ON THE CONTROLS. WHEN THE SHIP GOT DOWN IN THE LZ, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER DECIDED HE COULD NOT SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN BECAUSE OF MANY TREE STUMPS IN THE LZ. HE DECIDED TO HAVE THE PACKS JUMP FROM A HOVER. THE BACK SEAT CREW WAS CLEARING HIM DOWN SO HE COULD GET AS LOW AS POSSIBLE WHEN THE PACKS JUMPED OFF. THEY HAD NOT BEEN TOLD TO JUMP, AND THEY HAD BEEN TOLD NOT TO JUMP UNTIL TOLD TO DO SO. WHEN THE PACKS JUMPED THIS CAUSED A SUDDEN SHIFT OF CG. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER FAILED TO MAKE A CORRECTIVE ACTION FAST ENOUGH AND THE TAIL BOOM JERKED DOWN AND TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A STUMP. BOTH TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE SEPARATED FROM THE TAIL ROTOR BY THE IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED SPINNING CLOCKWISE. THE AIRCRAFT SPUN 180 DEGREES BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER CHOPPED THE THRORRLE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN HIT THE GROUND SKID FIRST, NOSED OVER, AND ROLLED END OVER END DOWN THE HILL, COMING TO REST RIGHT SIDE UP.

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The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15299
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 0169.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6901   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
6902   0    0 3300   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC
6903 150  150 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6904 126  276 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6905 127  403 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6906  95  498 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6907  98  596 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6908 136  732 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6909 113  845 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6910  41  886 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6911  90  976 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
6912 102 1078 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
7001  88 1166 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
7002  54 1220 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
7003 142 1362 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
7004  68 1430 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
7005 110 1540 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN
7006  43 1583 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW  VIETNAM                     RVN

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Printed from databases on: 08/27/00