Helicopter UH-1H 67-17682

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17682
The Army purchased this helicopter 0768
Total flight hours at this point: 00000310
Date: 06/16/1969
Incident number: 690616411ACD Accident case number: 690616411 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: B/158 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Phu Bai in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 5 . . Passengers = 3
costing 244345
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
P W1 SMITH LG
CP W1 HUGHES CP
CE E4 DORRIS MG
G E4 NAVARETTE G

Passengers:
UNK UNK, LCO, G; X2 KHONG T, , OG, KIA; E3 R SCIAMMARELLA, GG, D;

Accident Summary:

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED CAMP EVANS LANCER PAD AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 HOURS AND FLEW DIRECTLY TO LA VANG PZ, JUST SOUTH OF QUANG TRI, TO JOIN A FLIGHT OF NINE. THE FLIGHT PICKED UP SIX PASSENGERS EACH AND DEPARTED FOR THE LZ. THEY FLEW IN FLIGHTS OF TWO TO A TWO SHIP LZ. #682 WAS THE SECOND SHIP IN THE FORMATION FLYING TO THE RIGHT REAR OF THE FIRST SHIP. AFTER FLYING RIGHT TRAFFIC AND TURNING FINAL FINAL FOR THE LZ, THE LEAD SHIP ASKED FOR SMOKE IN THE LZ. THE FIRST SHIP FLEW FOR THE SMOKE ON THE LEFT WHICH WAS ON TOP OF A CLEARED HILL. #682 FLEW TO THE RIGHT SMOKE LOCATED DOWNHILL FROM THE FIRST. THERE WAS A PROMINENT SLOPE IN THE LZ AS WELL AS TREES, STUMPS, AND FALLEN LOGS. THE PILOT MANUVERED THE SHIP INTO THE LZ AND CAME TO REST WITH THE LEFT SKID ON THE SLOPE AND THE RIGHT ONE OFF. AS SOON AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED THE GROUND, THREE PASSENGERS LEFT THE AIRCRAFT ON EACH SIDE. ONE OF THE ARVNS ON THE LEFT WALKED UP THE SLOPE TOWARDS THE ENGINEER OFFICER AND WALKED INTO THE ROTOR BLADES, BEING STRUCK IN THE HEAD FIRST AND THEN IN THE BACK. WHEN THE BLADES STRUCK THE ARVN, THE AIRCRAFT TURNED OVER TO THE RIGHT AWAY FROM THE SLOPE AND INVERTED. THE SHIP SETTLED DOWN AND THE CREW GOT OUT. THE GROUND GUIDE HAD BEEN AT THE SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT WHEN IT WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND WAS PINNED UNDER A SECTION OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE CREW, GROUND GUIDE, AND ARVN SOLDIER WERE REMOVED FROM THE ACCIDENT BY MEMBERS OF THE GROUND COMPANY IN THE LZ. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, THE SHIP EXPLODED AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. THE INJURED PERSONS WERE THEN PICKED UP THE LEAD SHIP AND TAKEN TO 18TH SURGICAL HOSPITAL.\\

This record was last updated on 09/20/1998

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: X2 T. Khong
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/16/1969.
Service: Unknown service.
Unit: B/158 AVN 101 ABN
Service: Unknown service.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 67-17682
Country: South Vietnam
This record was last updated on 07/30/1995

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17682
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 0768.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6807   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
6808   7    7 2436   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6809  34   41 2436   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6810  41   82 2436   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6811  20  102 2436   POST SUPPLY      6TH ARMY   FORT ORD         6TH ARMY    
6812   0  102 2436   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6901   0  102 2436   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6902   0  102 2436   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6903  20  122 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6904  91  213 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6905  97  310 WFJ4B0 COB 158BN 101AC  VIETNAM                     RVN

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Gary Roush
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Painted Post, NY 14870

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Printed from databases on: 05/21/2000

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