Accident Summary:
THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT DEPARTED NHA TRANG AT 0630 HOURS ON 23 JULY 1970, ON A RESUPPLY MISSION FOR THE9TH ROK DIV LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES NW OF AN SON, RVN. BEFORE TAKE-OFF A FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILEDAND THE AIRCRAFT WAS GIVEN A COMPLETE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. THEY ARRIVED AT AN SON AT 0800 HOURS AND THE MISSION OF THE MORNING WENT SMOOTHLY. THE CREWMEN ATE LUNCH AT QUI NHON. AFTER DEPARTING QUI NHON AT 1230 HOURS, THEY PROCEEDED TO THE CAV CP, STILL WORKING FOR THE KOREANS. THE AIRCRAFT HAD APPROXIMATELY 1000 POUNDS OF FUEL ABOARD WHEN IT DEPARTED QUI NHON, AND THE TIME ENROUTE TO THE CP WAS ABOUT 30 MINUTES. THE CP WAS LOCATED SW OF AN SON. UPON LANDING AT THE CP, A LIGHT LOAD WAS PICKED UP (NO ESTIMATE OF THE WEIGHT) AND THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED TO THE FIRST OF THE TWO LX'S WHICH WAS LOCATED ON THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE RIDGE LINE. THE WIND WAS ESTIMATED TO BE FROM THE SW, AND THE APPROACH WAS PLANNED INTO THE WIND. AT THIS TIME^WO1 MOORE^ WAS AT THE CONTROLS OF THE AIRCRAFT AND BEGAN THE APPROACH. A SAFE LANDING WAS COMPLETED BUT ^WO1 MOORE^ DID ENCOUNTER A PROBLEM OF PEDAL CONTROL.HE STATED TO HIS PILOT THAT HE HAD RUN OUT OF LEFT PEDAL. AT THE TIME OF THE LANDING ALL INSTRUMENTS WERE IN THE GREEN AND NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. AFTER DROPPING OFF THE FIRST LOAD A RETURN TRIP WAS MADE TO THE CAV CP TO PICK UP THE SECOND LOAD FOR THE NEXT LX. THE SECOND LOAD CONSISTED OF 24 CASES OF C-RATIONS, TEN 155 MMM CANNISTER FILLED WITH WATER, AND TWO KOREAN RTO'S WHO WERE TOSHOW THE CREW THE LOCATION OF THE SECOND LX. ^WO1 FARRINGTON^ NOTED THE N1 AND TORQUE METER READINGS OF 97.5, AND 38 LBS RESPECTIVELY, BUT A COMPLETEHOVER CHECK COULD NOT BE MADE BECAUSE THE NO-NO-GO CHART WAS NOT FILLED IN. ^WO1 FARRINGTON^ FLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LOCATION AT 3000' INDICATED, ABOUT 2700 FEET AGL, AT WHICH TIMR ^WO1 MOORE^ TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS. ESTIMATED TIME ENROUTE FROM THE CP TO THE LZ WAS 15 MINUTES. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER FLEW OVER THE AREA AND THE GROUND TROOPS POPPED SMOKE. A HIGH RECONNAISANCE OF THE AREA WAS MADE AND THE OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) AROUND THE LZ WERE DETERMINED TO BE ABOUT 15 FEET HIGH, AND OBSTRUCTIONS INSIDE THE LZ WERE ABOUT 5 FEET HIGH. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER AND THE PILOT DECIDED AGAINST LANDING IN THE LZ AND FLET IT WAS BEST TO TERMINATE THE APPROACH TO A HGIH HOVER OVER THE LZ AND TREES AND OFFLOAD IN THAT MANNER. THE SMOKE MARKER INDICATED THE WINDS TO BE FROM THE SW AND THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER BEGAN A DESCENDING LEFT TURN TO HEAD THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE WIND. THE APPROACH WAS TERMINATED AT A 70 FOOT HOVER ABOVE THE TREES. A POWER CHECK WAS PERFORMED WITH N1 READING 97% AND TORQUE READING 39 LBS. ALL ENGINE INSTRUMENTS WERE READING IN THE GREEN WITH NO RPM BLEED-OFF NOTED OR CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ^SP4 SIMON^ THE CREW CHIEF, CLEARED THE AIRCRAFT FOR FURTHER DESCENT SO THE LOAD WOULD NOT HAVE SO FAR TO DROP, AND ^WO1 MOORE^ INITIATED HIS DESCENT. DURING THE TIME THE CREW CHIEF WAS CLEARING THE AIRCRAFT FOR FURTHER DESCENT ITS TAIL PITCHED UP AND THE NOSE WENT DOWN AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO DROP VERY RAPIDLY. BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT COULD BE RECOVERED THE BLADES BEGAN STRIKING THE SURROUNDING TREES. JUST PRIOR TO DROPPING, THE PILOT TOOK ON LAST GLANCE AT THE INSTRUEMNTS AND NOTED TORQUE TO BE 42 LBS AND ROTOR RPM GOING DOWN THROUGH 6300 BUT DID NOT NOTICE IF THE RPM WARNING LIGHT HAD COME ON. AS THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO THE TREES IT CAME TO A STOP. THE PILOT ASSUMED THAT COMING INTO GROUND EFFECT WAS THE REASON FOR THE AIRCRAFT STOPPING ITS DESCENT. THIS STOPPING WAS FOLLOWED BY NEARLY TWO (2) COMPLETE TURNS TO THE RIGHT WITH THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER LOWERING PITCH JUST PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF THE SECOND TURN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN SET DOWN IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, THE RIGHT SIDE RESTING AGAINST THE TREE LINE. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER THEN SHUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN AND, BECAUSE OF A RUPTURED FUEL BLADDER, THE CREW TEN EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER IT WAS SAFE TO REENTER THE AIRCRAFT THE AIRCRAFT DID SO AND MADE A CALL ON GUARD FOR ASSISTANCE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED TO LANE AHP WHERE IT STAYED UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING WHEN THE BOARD ARRIVED TO EXAMINE IT.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 69-15076
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 0270.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 197002 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 197003 3 3 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 197004 65 68 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197005 150 218 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197006 77 295 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197007 69 364 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197008 0 364 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 197009 0 364 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 197010 0 364 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 197011 0 364 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN
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Printed from databases on: 12/16/2016
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