Helicopter
UH-1H 68-16498

Information on U.S. Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 68-16498
The Army purchased this helicopter 1169
Total flight hours at this point: 00000038
Date: 01/26/70
Accident case number: 700126281
Unit: B/227 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Phouc Vinh in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 110053 Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 TOMLINSON JF
P O4 GRAY TJ

Accident Summary:

AIRCRAFT 498 WAS FLYING IN THE YELLOW ONE (LEAD) POSITION ON A
FINAL EXTRACTION TO A COMBAT ASSAULT BEING CONDUCTED BY
1ST BATTALION, 12TH CAVALRY, 1ST CAVALRY DIVISION (AM).
THE PICK UP ZONE WAS A CORN FIELD RUNNING EAST AND WEST.
IT WAS APPROXIMATELY SIXTY (60) METERS BY THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY
(350) METERS WITH A LARGE TREE LOCATED IN THE CENTER.
THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER OF 498 DECIDED TO PUT TWO (2) SHIPS ON THE
WEST SIDE AND ONE (1) ADDITIONAL SHIP ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE TREE.

AIRCRAFT 498 WAS BOARDED BY SIX (6) AMERICAN TROOPS, WHICH WAS
THE ESTABLISHED AGL. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER DECIDED TO MAKE A
NORMAL TAKE-OFF OVER THE LOWEST BARRIER (THIRTY FIVE FOOT TREES)
AND BACKED THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 50-75 METERS AWAY FROM THE
TREES. HE SET HIS ENGINE RPM AT 6500,MADE HIS HOVER CHECK
(96% AND 36 TO 38 LBS TORQUE) AND BEGAN HIS TAKE OFF.

AT A POINT JUST SHORT OF THE TREES THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER
DECIDED HE WOULD NOT CLEAR THE BARRIERS AND ATTEMPTED TO ABORT
THE TAKE-OFF. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE; AND, WHEN POWER WAS
ADDED, THE RPM BEGAN TO BLEED (6200 RPM). THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER
TRIED TO BACK THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE PICK UP ZONE, BUT THE RPM
CONTINUED TO DECAY TO 6000 RPM. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO THE TREES
AND BRUSH AT THE EDGE OF THE PICK UP ZONE. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES
STRUCK A TREE (RPM 4000) AND THE AIRCRAFT TURNED 180 DEGREES PRIOR
TO IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE NUMBER TWO (2) AIRCRAFT
SUCCESSFULLY ABORTED HIS TAKE-OFF AND THAT THE ACL WAS
SUBSEQUENTLY LOWERED TO FOUR (4) TROOPS.\\

Information on U.S. Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 68-16498
The Army purchased this helicopter 1169
Total flight hours at this point: 00002154
Date: 12/23/71
Accident case number: 711223041
Unit: B/7/17 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Camp Holloway in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 1772
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
P W1 MILLER DS
CP W1 TANKERSLEY TR
G E4 MOORE JL

Accident Summary:

THE AIRCRAFT MADE A HIGH LEFT ALTITUDE APPROACH TO A LANDING
ZONE ON A COMBAT ASSAULT MISSION. DURING THE DESCENT, THE RIGHT
CARGO DOOR BROKE FROM ITS AFT RUNNERS, PIVOTED FORWARD AND
PULLED FREE FROM THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING NO FURTHER DAMAGE
TO THE AIRCRAFT.\\

Information on U.S. Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 68-16498
The Army purchased this helicopter 1169
Total flight hours at this point: 00002451
Date: 04/24/72
Unit: B/7/17 CAV
South Vietnam
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database.
Also: OPERA (Operations Report)
Loss to Inventory

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 68-16498
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 1169.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST    COUNTRY
6911   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS              AVCOMITR
6912   0    0 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN
7001  38   38 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7002 106  144 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7003 141  285 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7004   0  285 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7005  96  381 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7006 159  540 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7007  98  638 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7008 136  774 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7009 132  906 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7010 126 1032 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7011 112 1144 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7012  73 1217 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
7101 110 1327 WAAVB0 B 227TH BN       VIETNAM                     RVN
7102  70 1397 WAAVB0 B 227TH BN       VIETNAM                     RVN
7103  85 1482 WAAVB0 B 227TH BN       VIETNAM                     RVN
7104  73 1555 WAAVB0 B 227TH BN       VIETNAM                     RVN
7105 100 1655 WAAVB0 B 227TH BN       VIETNAM                     RVN
7106 106 1761 WAAVB0 B 227TH BN       VIETNAM                     RVN
7107  97 1858 WAAVB0 B 227TH BN       VIETNAM                     RVN
7108  86 1944 WAAVB0 B 227TH BN       VIETNAM                     RVN
7109  93 2037 WAAVB0 B 227TH BN       VIETNAM                     RVN
7110  99 2136 WAAVB0 59 ASHC          VIETNAM                     RVN
7111   0 2136 WAAVB0 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
7112  18 2154 WAAVB0 57 AHC           VIETNAM                     RVN
7201  53 2207 WAZNB0 7 17 AC SQ B TP  VIETNAM                     RVN
7202  45 2252 WAZNB0 7 17 AC SQ B TP  VIETNAM                     RVN
7203  72 2324 WAZNB0 7 17 AC SQ B TP  VIETNAM                     RVN
7204 127 2451 WAZNB0 7 17 AC SQ B TP  VIETNAM                     RVN
7205   0 2451 WAZNB0 7 17 AC SQ B TP  VIETNAM                     RVN
7206   0 2451 WAZNB0 7 17 AC SQ B TP  VIETNAM                     RVN
7207   0 2451 WAZNB0 H TRP AIR 17 AC  VIETNAM                     RVN
7208   0 2451 WC5CAA 604TH TRANS CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
7209   0 2451 WC5CAA 604TH TRANS CO   VIETNAM                     RVN