Helicopter OH-6A 68-17142

Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 68-17142
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00000276
Date: 09/14/1969
Unit: D/1/1 CAV
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Unarmed Recon
While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0050 feet and UNK knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 5 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS, STRUCTURE
The helicopter made a Forced Landing. Aircraft was capable of one time flight.
The aircraft was diverted or delayed after completing some mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: LNNF, CRAFX (Lindenmuth New Format Data Base. Crash Facts Message. )

Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 68-17142
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00000317
Date: 11/22/1969
Accident case number: 691122011
Unit: D/1/1 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Chu Lai in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 2000
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W2 PARSONS R

Accident Summary:

ON GND AT OP RPM A SMOKE GRENADE WAS THROWN BY PLT TO MARK LZ FOR UH1H GRENADE STRUCK M/R/B ICDT DAM \

Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 68-17142
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00000376
Date: 02/17/1970
Unit: D/1/1 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

Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 68-17142
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00000376
Date: 02/17/1970
Accident case number: 700217091 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: D/1/1 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Chu Lai in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 2 . . Passengers = 0
costing 109221
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
P W1 KREHBIEL GA
OB E4 GONZALES RJ
G E4 WILDE M

Accident Summary:

ON THE MORNING OF 17 FEBRUARY 1970, WO1 KREHBIEL, GARY A. PREFLIGHTED HIS AIRCRAFT AND MADE AN 0800 HOURS TAKEOFF FROM CHU LAI ON A VISUAL RECONNAISSANCE MISSION IN SUPPORT OF THE 198TH INFANTRY BRIGADE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 40 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE N2 RPM BLED OFF BELOW THE GREEN ARC DURING A CYCLIC CLIMB. THE PILOT THEN LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND NOSED THE AIRCRAFT OVER TO REGAIN AIRSPEED. WITH THIS MANUEVER, THE N2 RPM RETURNED TO THE NORMAL OPERATING RANGE. SINCE EVERYTHING WAS NOW OPERATING PROPERLY, THE PILOT DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON WITH HIS MISSION. HE WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO PERFORM A BDA (BOMB DAMAGE ASSESSMENT) ON A RECENT BOMB STRIKE. ON THE SECOND PASS OVER THE BOMB STRIKE AREA THE PILOT ONCE AGAIN EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS. HIS AIRSPEED WAS BETWEEN 45 AND 50 KNOTS INDICATED AND HIS ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET ABOVE THE TREES. DURING THE POWER LOSS THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN SETTLING INTO THE SIDE OF A RIDGE LINE. ONCE AGAIN THE COLLECTIVE WAS LOWERED TO TRY AND REGAIN RPM, BUT TO NO AVAIL. SINCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS SETTLING INTO THE SIDE OF A RIDGE LINE, THE PILOT ELECTED TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT AROUND AND LAND DOWN THE SLOPE. THE PILOT MADE A POWER ON AUTOROTATION INTO THE TREES, AS THERE WAS NO CLEAR PLACE TO SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT AFTER SETTLING THROUGH THE TREES. AFTER LANDING, THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WITH THE SHUTOFF VALVE. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED ONLY MINOR INJURIES.\\

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 68-17142
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 0569.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
196905   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
196906   1    1 WDFHAA HHC 520T BN34GP  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196907  99  100 WACYAA D TRP 1ACD 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196908 127  227 WACYAA D TRP 1ACD 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196909  49  276 WACYAA D TRP 1ACD 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196910   0  276 WACYAA D TRP 1ACD 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196911  41  317 WACYAA D TRP 1ACD 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
196912  29  346 WACYAA D TRP 1ACD 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
197001  21  367 WACYD0 D 111 CV AMD     VIETNAM                     RVN     
197002   9  376 WE4HAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN

Please send additions or corrections to:

Gary Roush

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Printed from databases on: 05/31/2005

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