Helicopter AH-1G 69-16414

Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 69-16414
The Army purchased this helicopter 0270
Total flight hours at this point: 00000257
Date: 07/25/1970
Unit: D/1/1 CAV
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Armed Recon
While On Target this helicopter was Attacking at 1000 feet and 080 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Tail Section
Systems damaged were: STRUCTURE
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft was diverted prior to accomplishing any mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: JSIDR (Joint Services Incident Damage Report. )

Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 69-16414
The Army purchased this helicopter 0270
Total flight hours at this point: 00000918
Date: 06/08/1971
Accident case number: 710608151 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: F/8 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Chu Lai in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 2 . . Passengers = 1
costing 509833
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 METZ DE
P W2 BECKER BL

Passengers:
UNKNOWN, LCO, G;

Accident Summary:

ON 8 JUNE 1971, COBRA ^414^ WAS PREFLIGHTED BY ^WO METZ, CW2 BECKER^, AND CREW CHIEF ^WHITE^. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RED BEACH AT 0710 HOURS TO PERFORM ITS ARMED ESCORT MISSION WITH A HEAVY AIR CAVALRY TEAM. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO RED BEACH AT 1115 HOURS AND AFTER A NORMAL POST FLIGHT THE CREW DEPARTED FOR LUNCH. THE MORNING SORTIES WERE UNEVENTFUL AND ALL AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS WERE PERFORMING NORMALLY. THE PILOT DID NOTE LEFT PEDAL CONTROL DIFFICULTY WHEN LANDING AT RAW HIDE EARLIER IN THE MORNING. AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 HOURS, ^414^ DEPARTED RED BEACH TO CONTINUE ITS MISSION. AFTER A 1 1/2 HOUR FLIGHT THE TEAM ELECTED TO REFUEL AT RAW HIDE. RAW HIDE IS A FIRE SUPPORT BASE WITH A SOMEWHAT IMPROVISED FORWARD REFUELING, REARMING FACILITY. VISIBILITY WAS 7 MILES WITH WINDS VARIABLE FROM 230 DEGREES -290 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER ELECTED TO APPROACH THE NORTHERN MOST REFUELING POINT, BECAUSE OTHER AIRCRAFT WERE OCCUPYING THE TWO SOUTHERN MOST POINTS. THE AIRCRAFT TOOK ON 1300 POUNDS OF FUEL. AT THIS TIME THE AIRCRAFT LOAD CONSISTED OF 52 ROCKETS WITH 10 POUND WARHEADS, 150 ROUNDS OF 40MM, AND 1500 ROUNDS OF 7.62MM. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL HOVER CHECK FACING INTO THE WIND'S SUSPECTED DIRECTION THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER ATTEMPTED A PINNACLE TYPE TAKE OFF TO THE NORTH. AS THE AIRCRAFT MOVED OFF THE EDGE OF THE RIDGE, THE PILOT APPLIED FULL LEFT PEDAL AND INCREASED PITCH TO REDUCE SINK AND MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT GROUND TRACK. TORQUE WENT FROM 37 PSI AT THE HOVER, TO 41 PSI AND ENGINE RPM WENT TO 6200. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A SLOW YAW AND TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER IN ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL PLACED AN EXAGGERATED LEFT FORWARD CYCLIC INPUT TO THE ROTOR SYSTEM. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SKID BUT CONTINUED TO PIVOT TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WAS FACING APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES FROM HIS ORIGINAL DIRECTION OF TAKE OFF WHEN HE DIVERTED HIS EFFORTS TOWARD RETURNING TO RAW HIDE. THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED SLOW 360 DEGREE TURN AND THEN MADE TWO QUICKER 360S. THE AIRCRAFT ROTOR RPM CONTINUED TO DECREASE AND ALTITUDE CONTINUED TO BE LOST. AT APPROXIMATELY 5800 RPM AND 100 FEET ALTITUDE THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER DETERMINED THAT HE WASN'T GOING TO MAKE IT BACK TO RAW HIDE. HE ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE AND ATTEMPTED AN AUTOROTATION SOME 75 FEET ABOVE THE TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT FELL SOME 40 TO 50 FEET DUE TO MINIMUM ROTOR RPM AND LOW AIRSPEED, AND A POSSIBLE EARLY PITCH PULL. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED UPRIGHT AND THERE WAS NO FIRE. PILOTS SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE FUEL, BATTERY, GENERATORS, AND INVERTERS. PEDAL CONTROL WAS NON EXISTENT AFTER THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE PINNACLE. TRANSLATIONAL LIFT WAS NEVER OBTAINED. THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED SOME HALF MILE FROM ITS TAKE OFF POINT.\\

Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 69-16414
The Army purchased this helicopter 0270
Total flight hours at this point: 00000918
Date: 06/16/1971
Unit: F/8 CAV
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: BT058744
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 AH-1G tail number 69-16414
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 0270.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
197002   0    0 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
197003   0    0 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
197004   0    0 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
197005   8    8 WACYD0 D 1-1 CAV AMD    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197006 120  128 WACYD0 D 1-1 CAV AMD    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197007 129  257 WACYD0 D 1-1 CAV AMD    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197008 101  358 WACYD0 D 1-1 CAV AMD    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197009  80  438 WACYD0 D 1-1 CAV AMD    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197010  30  468 WACYD0 D 1-1 CAV AMD    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197011  49  517 WACYD0 D 1-1 CAV AMD    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197012  55  572 WACYD0 D 1-1 CAV AMD    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197101  24  596 WG20AA F TRP 8TH CAV    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197102  73  669 WG20AA F TRP 8TH CAV    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197103  79  748 WG20AA F TRP 8TH CAV    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197104  74  822 WG20AA F TRP 8TH CAV    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197105  51  873 WG20AA F TRP 8TH CAV    VIETNAM                     RVN     
197106  45  918 WG20AA F TRP 8TH CAV    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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