Helicopter
UH-1H 68-19529

Information on U.S. Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 67-19529
The Army purchased this helicopter 1168
Total flight hours at this point: 00000440
Date: 05/04/69
Incident number: 690504121ACD Accident case number:
690504121 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: B/227 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Quan Loi in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 4 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 816345
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)
Summary: Mid-air with 67-17818. Both carshed and burned.
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
AC 1LT FLAGELLA JAMES POTITO KIA
P WO1 REMMLER MILTON WILLIAM JR KIA
CE SGT ROSS DON LEWIS KIA
G SGT PLEMMONS NORMAN LEE KIA

Passengers:
UNK UNK, LCO, G;

Accident Summary:

THE TWO AIRCRAFT DEPARTED DIAN ABOUT THE SAME TIME AND JOINED
INTO FORMATION. AT THE TIME OF IMPACT, THE BOARD DETERMINED THAT
^818^ WAS LEADING AND ^529^ WAS FLYING RIGHT ECHELON. HELICOPTER
^529^ CALLED ^818^ AND SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO PASS THEM ^(818)^.
AS ^529^ ATTEMPTED TO PASS ON THE RIGHT, ^818'S^ MAIN ROTOR BLADE
CONTACTED ^529'S^ MAST. THE FORCE OF THIS CONTACT AND A POSSIBLE
SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF ^529'S^ MAIN ROTOR CAUSED ^529'S^ TRANSMISSION
TO BE RIPPED OUT TOWARDS THE FRONT.

SEVERE VIBRATIONS, INCLUDING MAST BUMPING, SEPARATED ^529'S^
MAIN ROTOR BLADE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. ABOUT THE TIME OF IMPACT,
ONE TIP OF ^529'S^ MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK ^818'S^ MAIN ROTOR HUB.
AFTER INITIAL IMPACT, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE OF ^818^ CONTINUED ON TO
KNOCK THE LEFT PILOT'S DOOR OF ^529^ LOOSE AND DECAPITATED THE PILOT
OF ^818^. AFTER THE MAIN ROTOR AND TRANSMISSION SEPARATED FROM ^529,^
IT CRASHED AND BURNED KILLING ALL ON BOARD. AFTER THE INITIAL MIDAIR
CONTACT, ONE BLADE OF ^818'S^ MAIN ROTOR BLADE LOST A SIZEABLE PIECE
OF HONEYCOMB. THIS CREATED AN OUT OF BALANCE CONDITION WHICH
ADDED TO THE SEVERE VIBRATION THAT FOLLOWED.

THE VIBRATION CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED
TO SHAKE ITSELF APART. THE TAIL BOOM SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE,
THE MAST BUMPING CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR TO COME OFF THE MAST.
^818^ THEN CRASHED AND BURNED KILLING ALL FOUR CREW MEMBERS.\\

This record was last updated on 06/30/00
The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: 1LT James Potito Flagella
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 05/04/69
while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 22.5
Date of Birth: 11/12/46
Home City: Cincinnati, OH
Service: IN branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 68-20/68-34
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 26W-110
Short Summary:
Mid-air on short final to LZ included Remmler, Britton, and leMaster.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 67-19529
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Mid-air
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Started Tour: 01/08/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Bien Hoa Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
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 07/25/98

Name: SGT Norman Lee Plemmons
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 05/04/69
while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 22.1
Date of Birth: 03/28/47
Home City: Mt Holly, NC
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 25W-001
Short Summary: Mid-air on short final to LZ.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 67-19529
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N40 = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Primary cause: Mid-Air
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
Started Tour: 08/20/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 04
Location: Bien Hoa Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single 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: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/25/98

Name: WO1 Milton William Remmler, Jr.
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 05/04/69
while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 20.8
Date of Birth: 07/27/48
Home City: San Antonio, TX
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 68-43
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 25W-003
Short Summary:
Mid-air on short final to LZ included Britton, Flagella, and Le Master.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 67-19529
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: Mid-Air
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 03/22/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Location: Bien Hoa Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
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 07/25/98

Name: SGT Don Lewis Ross (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 05/04/69
while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 20.8
Date of Birth: 06/29/48
Home City: Parkersburg, WV
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/227 AHB 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 25W-002
Short Summary: Mid-air on short final to LZ.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 67-19529
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N20 = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Primary cause: Mid-Air
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Started Tour: 10/12/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Bien Hoa Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)
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 07/25/98

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 67-19529
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 1168.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST    COUNTRY
6811   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS              AVCOMITR
6812   0    0 3300   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                PACIFIC
6901 117  117 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6902 139  256 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6903  90  346 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6904  94  440 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6905   0  440 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN