ON 7 MAY 1971, AT 0730 HOURS, ARMY AIRCRAFT UH-1H, SERIAL NUMBER ^68-16582^ DEPARTED FLANDERS HELIPORT, LOCATED AT DONG BA THIN AIRFIELD, ENROUTE FOR A MISSION OF PROVIDING LIFT SUPPORT FOR THE DUC MY RANGERS' SCHOOL. THE FLIGHT ENROUTE AND SUBSEQUENT TRAINING WENT WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT APPROXIMATELY 1015 HOURS, ARMY AIRCRAFT UH-1H, SERIAL NUMBER ^68-16582^ WAS ASSIGNED THE MISSION OF TRANSPORTING EIGHT ARVN RANGERS FROM DUC MY AIRFIELD TO LZ1 LOCATED AT BP833 786. ARMY AIRCRAFT ^68-16582^ WAS LEAD SHIP IN A FLIGHT OF TWO. THE SECOND SHIP WAS ARMY AIRCRAFT UH-1H, SERIAL NUMBER ^68-16334^. THE GUNSHIP ESCORT LED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LANDING ZONE AND MARKED IT WITH SMOKE. THE SMOKE GRENADE CAUSED A SMALL FIRE TO BEGIN AT THE NORTH END OF THE LANDING ZONE. THE WINDS WERE APPROXIMATELY 360DEG AT 5-10 KNOTS. THE LANDING ZONE WAS SINGLE SHIP. THE CONTROL AIRCRAFT ADVISED BOTH LIFT SHIPS OF THE FIRE AND WINDS; HE THEN CLEARED ARMY AIRCRAFT UH-1H, SERIAL NUMBER ^68-16582^ INTO THE LANDING ZONE. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, ^CW2 JULIUS A. CHIRSTY^, ON LOW RECON SAW THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO UTILIZE THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE LANDING ZONE DUE TO THE FIRE AND THE UNEVEN TERRAIN AT THE NORTHERN PORTION. HIS APPROACH INTO THE LZ WAS MADE WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. AFTER DROPPING OFF THE RANGERS, HE WAS CLEARED AND BROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT TO A HOVER. DUE TO SOME SMALL TREES TO HIS IMMEDIATE FRONT, ^CW2 CHRISTY^ ELECTED TO MAKE A VERTICAL TAKE-OFF. HE WAS USING 96% N1 AND INCREASED HIS COLLECTIVE TO INITIATE THE TAKE-OFF. AT AN ALTITUDE OF 10-20 FEET AGL, THE RPM BEGAN TO BLEED AND THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT YAWED 30DEG TO THE RIGHT. AT THIS TIME THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A SLIGHT DESCENT. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK A LARGE (8 INCH DIAMETER) TREE AND THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO THE LEFT AND STRUCK A SECOND TREE (5 INCH DIAMETER). THE TAIL ROTOR WAS TORN FROM THE 90DEG GEAR BOX AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE RIGHT FRONT SKID OF THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED COMPLETELY TO THE GROUND LYING PARTIALLY ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. ^CW2 CHRISTY^ SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE AND THE CREW EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. THE SECOND AIRCRAFT, UH-1H, SERIAL NUMBER ^68-16334^ LANDED IN A SMALL CLEARING SOUTH OF THE CRASH, DISCHARGED ITS RANGERS AND PICKED UP THE DOWNED CREW. IT THEN PROCEEDED TO DUC MY AIRFIELD AND NOTIFIED THE ^10TH COMBAT AVIATION BATTALION MOVEMENT CONTROL CENTER^ OF THE ACCIDENT.\\
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number
68-16582
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 1269.
Please provide any additional information on this
helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6912 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 7001 9 9 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7002 176 185 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7003 99 284 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7004 93 377 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7005 96 473 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7006 98 571 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7007 62 633 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7008 68 701 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7009 84 785 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7010 65 850 WFJFAA 281 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7011 8 858 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7012 54 912 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7101 119 1031 WAX6AA 92 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7102 127 1158 WAX6AA 92 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7103 117 1275 WAX6AA 92 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7104 146 1421 WAX6AA 92 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7105 25 1446 WC5EAA 608 TC DS VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law
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