UPON TERM OF AUTO ACFT ROCKED FWD CAUSING M/R BLADES TO FLEX ATWHICH TIME THEY STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM CAUSING THE RIVETS TO POP OUT ONE M/R BLADE SUSTAINED INCIDENT DAM \
Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16251
The Army purchased this helicopter 0868
Total flight hours at this point: 00001278
Date: 04/26/1970
Unit: 1 BDE 101 ABN
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Unarmed Recon
While in Operations Area this helicopter was at Level Flight at UNK feet and UNK knots.
South Vietnam
Count of hits was not possible because the helicopter burned or exploded.
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
Systems damaged were: OIL SYS, TRANSMISSION, STRUCTURE, FUEL SYS
The helicopter made an Emergency Landing. Aircraft is later recovered by any means other than its own power.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: LNNF, JSIDR,
CRAFX (Lindenmuth New Format Data Base. Joint Services Incident Damage Report. Crash Facts
Message. )
Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16251
The Army purchased this helicopter 0868
Total flight hours at this point: 00001367
Date: 07/03/1970
Accident case number: 700703051
Unit: 1 BDE 101 ABN
The station for this helicopter was Hue in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 7939
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
P W1 THOMAS JE
OB W1 SAPPAH GG
Accident Summary:
AT 0800 HRS, 3 JUL 70, ^WO1 JOSEPH E. THOMAS, 465-86-5317,^ GOT UP TO PREFLIGHT HIS AIRCRAFT, ^SN 67-16251,^ IN PREPARATION FOR A VISUAL RECON HE WAS SUPPOSED TO PERFORM. ON HIS WAY TO THE AIRCRAFT HE STOPPED TO PICK UP ^WO1 GUY G. SAPPAH, 147-34-7816,^ AS AN OBSERVER. ^WO1 SAPPAH^ HAD DISPLAYED AN INTEREST IN ACCOMPANING ^WO THOMAS^ ON A MISSION BECAUSE HE HAD NEVER BEEN IN A LOH BEFORE. THEY DEPARTED "NO SLACK" PAD, CAMP EAGLE, RVN AT 0830 AND HEADED WEST TOWARDS BASTOGNE. THERE THEY CONTACTED THE CONVOY LEAD AND WERE TOLD THAT THE CONVOY WAS READY TO MOVE OUT. THEY THEN STARTED PERFORMING A VISUAL RECON BY FLYING AT LOW LEVEL ALONG THE ROAD LOOKING FOR POSSIBLE AMBUSH SITES, BUNKERS, OR ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THE ROAD WAS WINDING ALONG SMALL VALLEYS SO THE PILOT CHECKED THE AREA ALONG THE IMMEDIATE SIDES OF THE ROAD AND ALSO ALONG THE SIDES OF THE HILLS FLANKING THE ROAD.\\ A CALL WAS RECEIVED FROM THE CONVOY LEAD REQUESTING THE PILOT TO TURN AND FLY BACK TO CHECK OUT THE TRAIL VEHICLES OF THE CONVOY. THEY WERE MAINTAINING A SPEED OF ABOUT 20-40KTS AND AN ALTITUDE OF 100' ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT PUT THE AIRCRAFT INTO A SHALLOW SLIDING RIGHT HAND TURN AND GLANCED RIGHT TO SEE WHERE HE SHOULD BEGIN TO ROLL OUT. WHILE IN THE TURN THEY STRUCK A TREE. THE TREE WAS TALL AND THIN, WITH NO BRANCHES, HAVING BEEN DEFOLIATED SOME MONTHS AGO. THE TREE STRUCK THE HELICOPTER AT THE RIGHT REAR STRESS PANELS (SEE PHOTO 2 ), DAMAGED THE FIREWALL (SEE PHOTO 3), AND DENTED AND FORCED OPEN THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING. (SEE PHOTO 4). A PORTION OF THE HORIZONTAL STABLIZER WAS ALSO DAMAGED (SEE PHOTO 6). NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE OBSERVER HAD SEEN THE TREE BEFORE THE IMPACT NOR FELT ANY UNUSUAL VIBRATION AFTERWARDS. AT FIRST THEY MIGHT HAVE RECEIVED SMALL ARMS FIRE. THEY CIRCLED BACK TO THE POSITION AND FOUND THEY HAD HIT A TREE. THEY THEN CONTINUED TO FLY TOWARDS THE CONVOY. AS THEY PASSED OVER THE LEAD VEHICLE, THEY WERE INFORMED BY LEAD THAT "THEIR RIGHT FLAP WAS FLAPPING". THEY WERE THEN RELEASED BY THE CONVOY LEAD AND FLEW TO FSB BASTOGNE WHERE THEY LANDED TO CHECK OUT THE DAMAGE.\\ THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND WALKED AROUND THE AIRCRAFT TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE. HE OBSERVED THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING WAS OPEN AND SOMEWHAT DAMAGED. HE ALSO NOTICED A FUEL LEAK AND A HOLE IN THE UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE THEN INFORMED HIS CONTROL OF THE SITUATION AND TOLD THEM IT WAS FLYABLE. CONTROL CLEARED HIM TO RETURN TO THE UNIT AREA. HE BOARDED THE AIRCRAFT AND FLEW THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO CAMP EAGLE, WHERE HE REQUESTED AND WAS GRANTED A 05 STRAIGHT IN LANDING FOR "NO SLACK" PAD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SHUT DOWN NEAR THE MAINTENANCE AREA.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16251
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 0868.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 196808 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 196809 0 0 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN MAINT SHARPE AD AVCOM 196810 0 0 3300 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 196811 42 42 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196812 97 139 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196901 53 192 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196902 86 278 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196903 66 344 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196904 71 415 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196905 94 509 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196906 61 570 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196907 106 676 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196908 117 793 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196909 72 865 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196910 50 915 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196911 45 960 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 196912 83 1043 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 197001 81 1124 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 197002 42 1166 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 197003 28 1194 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 197004 84 1278 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 197005 11 1289 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 197006 77 1366 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 197007 1 1367 WAB4AA HHC 1BDE 101ABN VIETNAM RVN 197008 1 1368 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 197009 42 1410 WACYD0 D 1-1 CAV AMD VIETNAM RVN 197010 13 1423 WACYD0 D 1-1 CAV AMD VIETNAM RVN 197011 11 1434 WACYD0 D 1-1 CAV AMD VIETNAM RVN 197012 49 1483 WACYD0 D 1-1 CAV AMD VIETNAM RVN 197101 10 1493 WG20AA F TRP 8TH CAV VIETNAM RVN 197102 25 1518 WG20AA F TRP 8TH CAV VIETNAM RVN 197103 0 1518 W0MHAA DIR FOR MAINT 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVSCOM 197104 0 1518 W0MHAA DIR FOR MAINT 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVSCOM 197105 0 1518 W0MHAA DIR FOR MAINT 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVSCOM 197106 0 1518 W0MHAA DIR FOR MAINT 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVSCOM 197107 0 1518 W0MHAA LEXINGTON DEPOT 1ST ARMY LEXINGTON DEPOT AMC 197108 0 1518 W0MHAA LEXINGTON DEPOT 1ST ARMY LEXINGTON DEPOT AMC 197109 0 1518 W0MHAA LEXINGTON DEPOT 1ST ARMY LEXINGTON DEPOT AMC 197110 0 1518 W0MHAA LEXINGTON DEPOT 1ST ARMY LEXINGTON DEPOT AMC 197111 0 1518 W0MHAA LEXINGTON DEPOT 1ST ARMY LEXINGTON DEPOT AMC
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Printed from databases on: 05/31/2005
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