Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16641
The Army purchased this helicopter 0269
Total flight hours at this point: 00000279
Date: 06/29/1969
Incident number: 690629151ACD Accident case number: 690629151 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: B/1/9 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Quan Loi in
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 205569
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
P WO1 MEFFORD HARRELL SAMUEL KIA
CE E4 VOLLINK HD
G E4 BEST GA
Accident Summary:
AIRCRAFT 641 WAS READIED AND ARMED FOR A SCOUT MISSION AT APPROXIMATELY 0700 HOURS, BY THE CREW CHIEF AND GUNNER. THE PILOT ATTENDED A MISSION BRIEFING AND PERFORMED A FLIGHT READINESS INSPECTION. ONCE THIS WAS COMPLETED, THE AIRCRAFT WAS STARTED AND CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF BY APACHE TOWER. AT TAKE-OFF, THE AIRCRAFT CARRIED A CREW OF PILOT, CREW CHIEF, DOOR GUNNER, AND OBSERVER/DOOR GUNNER. THE ARMAMENT CONSISTED OF THREE PERSONAL SIDE ARMS, ONE M-60 MACHINE GUN WITH 1200 ROUNDS, ONE M-79 WITH 15 ROUNDS, ONE M-16WITH ONE 20 ROUND MAGAZINE, 10 SMOKE GRENADES, SIX WP GRENADES, AND APPROXIMATELY 120 POUNDS OF FUEL. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED APACHE PAD AT APPROXIMATELY 0754 HOURS WITH CLEARANCE TO ENTER TAY NINH WEST TRAFFIC ON A RIGHT BASE, LANDING RUNWAY 20 FOR POL. WITHIN ONE TO TWO MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT CALLED APACHE TOWER AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. A LOUD NOSE WAS HEARD IN THE TRANSMISSION AREA DURING THE APPROACH. DURING FINAL THE PILOT ENTERED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A NORMAL APPROACH. PRIOR TO TERMINATION THE PILOT INSTRUCTED THE CREW TO HANG ON TIGHT. AT APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 FEET AND 10 TO 15 KNOTS AIRSPEED, THE AIRCRAFT SPUN TO THE LEFT 360 DEG AND IMPACTED ON THE RIGHT SKID IN A NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE. ABOUT THE TIME OF INITIAL IMPACT, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TURN TO THE LEFT FOR 180 DEG COMING TO REST 9 FEET FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. A 1/8 TO 4/4 INCH IMPRESSION WAS FOUND INDICATING THE AIRCRAFT STAYED WITHIN GROUND CONTACT, AFTER INITAIL CONTACT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO FULL STOP RESTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BELLY AND TAIL STINGER WITH APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET OF MAIN ROTOR CLEARANCE ABOVE THE GROUND. AS THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A FULL STOP, THE OBSERVER, LOCATED IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT, EXITED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT. THE CREW CHIEF, LOCATED ON THE RIGHT REAR SEAT, EXITED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT ALSO. THE PILOT TURNED OFF THE BATTERY AND CLOSED THE THROTTLE TO THE FULL OFF POSITION. ONCE THIS WAS DONE, HE EXITED TO THE RIGHT IN GREAT HASTE AND WAS STRUCK BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE AND THROWN APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET. THE CREW CHIEF AND OBSERVER WERE NOT INJURED. THE PILOT DIED OF INJURIES RECEIVED FROM THE BLADE STRIKE.\\
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16641
The Army purchased this helicopter 0269
Total flight hours at this point: 00000980
Date: 12/27/1972
Unit: D/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 OH-6A tail number 67-16641
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 0269.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 196902 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 196903 18 18 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN STORAGE SHARPE AD AVCOM 196904 37 55 WAGTB0 TRPB1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 196905 111 166 WAGTB0 TRPB1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 196906 113 279 WAGTB0 TRPB1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 196907 0 279 WAGTB0 TRPB1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 196908 0 279 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD AVCOM 196909 0 279 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD AVCOM 196910 0 279 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD AVCOM 196911 0 279 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN STORAGE SHARPE AD AVCOM 196912 0 279 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN STORAGE SHARPE AD AVCOM 197001 0 279 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD AVCOM 197002 0 279 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD AVCOM 197003 0 279 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVCOM 197004 0 279 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVCOM 197005 0 279 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT BAILMENT CULVER CITY AVCOM 197006 0 279 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT BAILMENT CULVER CITY AVCOM 197007 0 279 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT BAILMENT CULVER CITY AVCOM 197008 0 279 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT BAILMENT CULVER CITY AVCOM 197009 0 279 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT BAILMENT CULVER CITY AVCOM 197010 0 279 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT BAILMENT CULVER CITY AVCOM 197011 0 279 W0ZGAA HUGHES ACFT BAILMENT CULVER CITY AVCOM 197012 0 279 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVCOM 197101 1 280 W0MHAA DIR DIST TRANS IN MAINT SHARPE AD AVSCOM 197102 1 281 W0MHAA DIR FOR MAINT 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVSCOM 197103 0 281 W0MHAA DIR FOR MAINT 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVSCOM 197104 0 281 W0MHAA DIR FOR MAINT 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVSCOM 197105 1 282 WHB1AA 166 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 197106 51 333 WHB1AA 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197107 73 406 WACYD0 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197108 106 512 WACYD0 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197109 80 592 WACYD0 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197110 28 620 WACYD0 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197111 23 643 WACYD0 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197112 34 677 WACYD0 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197201 8 685 WACYD0 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197202 35 720 WACYD0 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197203 0 720 WACYD0 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197204 20 740 WACYD0 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197205 2 742 WACYD0 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197206 14 756 WACYD0 1 1 CAV D TRP VIETNAM RVN 197207 9 765 WACYD0 D TRP 1SQ 17 AC VIETNAM RVN 197208 22 787 WFAMAA D TRP 1SQ 17 AC VIETNAM RVN 197209 20 807 WFAMAA D TRP 1SQ 17 AC VIETNAM RVN 197210 71 878 WFAMAA D TRP 1SQ 17 AC VIETNAM RVN 197211 58 936 WFAMAA D TRP 1SQ 17 AC VIETNAM RVN 197212 44 980 WFAMAA D TRP 1SQ 17 AC VIETNAM RVN
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Printed from databases on: 05/31/2005
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