Helicopter
UH-1H 68-15754

Information on U.S. Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 68-15754
The Army purchased this helicopter 0769
Total flight hours at this point: 00000924
Date: 03/16/70
Accident case number: 700316171
Unit: B/227 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Phu Vinh in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 97260
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 NELSON RD
P W1 DIRKS LD
CE E5 GUINAS AE
G E4 MULLENAX RF

Accident Summary:

THE CREW OF UH-1H, SN 68-15754, WAS ASSIGNED A LOG MISSION.
THE MISSION WAS IN SUPPORT OF THE 2ND BRIGADE, 1ST CAV DIV (AM),
AT FSB BUTTONS. FOLLOWING THE INITIAL PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT THE
CREW MADE THE FINAL PREFLIGHT CHECKS TO ESTABLISH THE READINESS
OF THE AIRCRAFT AND AT APPROXIMATELY 0700 HOURS AIRCRAFT 754
DEPARTED FROM FERGUSON HELIPORT ON ITS MISSION. AT APPROXIMATELY
0850 HOURS, WHILE ON SHORT FINAL TO FSB HUONG VUONG, THE PILOT SAW
THE ENGINE CHIP DETECTOR CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATE.

HE ADVISED THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WHO IN TURN ADVISED THE PILOT
TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH. WITHIN SECONDS THE ENGINE FAILED.
THE PILOT ESTIMATED HIS ALTITUDE AT 70-100 FEET AND HIS AIRSPEED
BETWEEN 40 AND 50 KNOTS. HE THEN LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO
CONSERVE HIS ROTOR RPM'S. HE NOTICED A GROUP OF SOLDIERS ON THE
GROUND WHO WERE LOCATED AT THE POSSIBLE TOUCHDOWN POINT.
THUS MR. DIRKS CHOSE TO EXTEND HIS GLIDE TO AVOID POSSIBLE IMPACT
WITH THE GROUND TROOPS.

AT THAT TIME MR. NELSON TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND
CONTINUED THE EFFORT TO AVOID CONTACT WITH THE GROUND PERSONNEL.
WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED WITH THE GROUND AT
25 TO 30 KNOTS AND BEGAN A GROUND RUN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN MADE
CONTACT WITH AN ARTIFICIAL BERM WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO
TURN TO THE RIGHT AND COME TO A HALT. THIS CAUSED THE SKIDS TO
BE RIPPED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE SUDDEN GROUND CONTACT
ALSO CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR TO FLEX DOWNWARDS,
CONTACT THE TAIL BOOM, AND SEVERE THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT.\\

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 68-15754
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 0769.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST    COUNTRY
6907  23   23 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6908 199  222 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6909  81  303 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6910 104  407 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6911 108  515 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6912  99  614 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7001 104  718 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7002 143  861 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7003  63  924 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN
7004   0  924 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN
7005   0  924 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN
7006   0  924 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN
7007   0  924 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN
7008   0  924 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN
7009  79 1003 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
7010  62 1065 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
7011  59 1124 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
7012  85 1209 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN
7101 108 1317 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7102  67 1384 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7103  73 1457 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7104 100 1557 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7105  98 1655 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7106  84 1739 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7107  29 1768 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7108 104 1872 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7109  72 1944 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7110  85 2029 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7111  78 2107 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7112  23 2130 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7201  22 2152 WFELAA 162 AHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7202   0 2152 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                AVSCOM
7203   0 2152 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                AVSCOM
7204   0 2152 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                AVSCOM
7205   0 2152 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                AVSCOM
7206   0 2152 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                AVSCOM
7207   0 2152 W0Y6AA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM
7208   0 2152 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM
7209   0 2152 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM
7210   0 2152 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM
7211   2 2154 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM
7212   1 2155 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN TRANSIT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM
7301  29 2184 W0MUAA AVSCOM PROJECT   LOAN       ST LOUIS      AVSCOM
7302  28 2212 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7303  41 2253 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7304  38 2291 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7305  29 2320 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7306  28 2348 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7307  26 2374 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7308  60 2434 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7309  19 2453 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7310  41 2494 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7311  45 2539 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7312   7 2546 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7401   9 2555 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7402  31 2586 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7403  24 2610 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7404  29 2639 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7405  12 2651 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA                   ALASKA
7409  40 2778 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA    FT RICHARDSON FORSCOM
7410   3 2781 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA    FT RICHARDSON FORSCOM
7411   8 2789 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA    FT RICHARDSON FORSCOM
7412  13 2802 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA    FT RICHARDSON FORSCOM
7501   0 2802 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA    FT RICHARDSON FORSCOM
7502  29 2831 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA    FT RICHARDSON FORSCOM
7503  51 2882 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA    FT RICHARDSON FORSCOM
7504   6 2888 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA    FT RICHARDSON FORSCOM
7505  14 2902 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA    FT RICHARDSON FORSCOM
7506  30 2932 WAYBAA 568TH TRANS CO   ALASKA    FT WAINWRIGHT FORSCOM
7507   4 2936 WAYBAA 568TH TRANS CO   ALASKA    FT WAINWRIGHT FORSCOM
7509   0 2936 W0MUAA SUPPLY DIV       5TH ARMY  FT KNOX        TRADOC
7510  25 2961 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA    FT RICHARDSON FORSCOM
7511  31 2992 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA    FT RICHARDSON FORSCOM
7512   0 2992 WAYBAA 120TH AVN CO     ALASKA    FT RICHARDSON FORSCOM