WO1 SMITH AND WO1 DONER WERE WORKING A COMBAT RESUPPLY MISSION FOR THE CAPITAL ROK DIVISION. THEY PICKED UP SUPPLIES AND THREE (3) PASSENGERS FROM THE ROK COMPOUND DUE EAST OF HAMMOND AAF, RVN. DURING THE FLIGHT THAT TERMINATED WITH THE ACCIDENT, WO1 SMITH WAS BEING DIRECTED BY ONE OF THE THREE KOREANS ON BOARD AS TO WHERE THE LZ WAS LOCATED. WO1 SMITH TOOK OFF FROM THE ROK COMPOUND AND FLEW IN A NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION AND WAS DIRECTED TO LAND IN AN LZ (COOR UNK) WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE INCORRECT. NO DIFFICULTIES WERE ENCOUNTERED ON THE FIRST LANDING. WO1 SMITH THEN TOOK-OFF AND FLEW IN A MORE NORTHERLY DIRECTION UNTIL THE KOREAN IN THE REAR GUIDING THE FLIGHT INFORMED THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER THAT THEY WERE OVER THE CORRECT LZ. WO1 SMITH TOLD THE KOREAN IN THE REAR, WHO HAD RADIO CONTACT WITH THE TROOPS ON THE GROUND, TO INSTRUCT THAT A SMOKE MARKER BE POPPED WHICH IT WAS. WHEN THE SMOKE WAS OUT WO1 SMITH COULD SEE THAT THE WIND WAS GENERALLY OUT OF THE NORTHWEST AND ALSO THAT IT WAS VERY TURBULENT. WO1 SMITH DECIDED TO MAKE HIS APPROACH TO THE NORTH BECAUSE THAT APPROACH PROVIDED THE LOWEST OBSTACLES IN HIS FLIGHT PATH. WO1 SMITH MADE BETWEEN A NORMAL AND A STEEP APPROACH AND TERMINATED TO A HOVER OVER THE LZ AT APPROXIMATELY THREE FEET (3) AGL. WHEN HE TERMINATED HIS APPROACH THE RPM BLED TO 6400 RPM AND STABILIZED. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER THEN ASKED THE CREW MEMBERS IN THE REAR IS HE COULD SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN BUT HIS GUNNER SAID NO, KEEP THE TAIL UP. HE THEN RAISED THE TAIL AND MOVED FORWARD, USING MORE POWER AND THE RPM BLED TO 6000. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER AGAIN AKED THE CREW IF HE WAS CLEAR TO LAND AND THE ANSWER WAS NO BECAUSE OF SOME HIGH BUSHES NEAR THE TAIL ROTOR. ON THIS SECOND LANDING ATTEMPT THE RPM BLED DOWN TO 5800. BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN SETTLING TO THE GROUND AND KOREAN TROOPS WERE BEGINNING TO COME WITHIN MAIN ROTOR DISTANCE, WO1 SMITH ELECTED TO ATTEMPT A TAKE-OFF FROM THE PINNACLE IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION FOR FEAR OF HAVING A TAIL ROTOR STRIKE AND STRIKING THE TROOPS WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO FALL AND CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET DOWN FROM AND 75 FEET NORTH OF THE INTENDED LANDING SITE (BQ 762 650).\\
War Story:
20 Feb 70 S-2 10th CAB 1815 Cpt Clark of GP MCC reported
A/C #168 from 92nd crashed due to power failure at 1645 vicinity BR 761649.
Major damage no casualities. Crew picked up by Stallion 13 enroute to DBT A/C
recovery in progress by 268th Bn aircraft. 21 Feb 70 S-2 10th CAB 1648 92nd
reported major acc. at coord BQ 762650. A/C #168, heavy damage, no casualities.
Time of incident was 1640.
This record was last updated on 11/29/98
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number
67-17168
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 0168.
Please provide any additional information on this
helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6801 0 0 W0Y6AA INTRANSIT IN TRANSIT AVCOMCTR 6802 78 78 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6803 134 212 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6804 115 327 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6805 104 431 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6806 128 559 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6807 136 695 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6808 63 758 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6809 108 866 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6810 114 980 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6811 69 1049 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6812 38 1087 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6901 126 1213 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6902 120 1333 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6903 74 1407 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6904 76 1483 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6905 59 1542 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6906 124 1666 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6907 116 1782 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6908 102 1884 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6909 163 2047 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6910 134 2181 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6911 0 2181 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6912 3 2184 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7001 53 2237 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7002 35 2272 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law
Copyright © 1998, 1999 and 2000 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association