Accident Summary:
THE FLIGHT WAS A COMMAND AND CONTROL MISSION WHICH ORIGINATED AT FIRE SUPPORT BASE LEOPARD, COORDINATES YS 399995 AT APPROXIMATELY 1240 HOURS, 14 JANUARY 1971. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO MAKE AN AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE OF A PROPOSED LANDING ZONE VICINITY COORDINATES YT 3915. DURING CLIMBOUT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 875 FEET MSL (APPROXIMATELY 350 FEET AGL), 80 KNOTS AIRSPEED, AND EXPLOSION WAS HEARD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER IMMEIIATELY CHECKED HIS INSTRUMENTS AND NOTED THE FIRE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND ENGINE INSTRUMENTS AND RPM WERE DROPPING. HE INITIATED A 180 DEGREE AUTOROTATION TO A CLEARING SURROUNDED BY SMALL TREES. DURING THE AUTOROTATIONAL DESCENT, THE CREWCHIEF STATED THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ON FIRE AND THAT THE FLAMES WERE COMING INTO HIS WELL. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO REACH THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, HOWEVER THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND HIS AUTOROTATION TO REACH THE OPEN AREA, HOWEVER HE DETERMINED HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO DO SO AND PICKED AN AREA OF SMALL TREES AND BRUSH, AND DECELERATED TO ELIMINATE FORWARD AIRSPEED. AT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN SETTLING INTO THE SMALL TREES INITIAL PITCH WAS APPLIED AND THE AIRCRAFT STABILIZED NORMALLY AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 5 FEET. AT THE SAME TIME THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CUT THE BRANCHES FROM A SMALL TREE. AS THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WAS APPLYING CUSHIONING PITCH TO AFFECT A SMOOTH TOUCHDOWN, HE NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE PASSENGERS, LTC BARTROM, HAD JUMPED FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. FEARING THAT THE AIRCRAFT MIGHT LAND ON THE PASSENGER, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT LATERALLY TO THE RIGHT AND AS THE SKIDS CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN ROLLING TO THE RIGHT. BY THIS TIME THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER HAD UTILIZED ALL OF HIS REMAINING PITCH. STILL FEARING THAT LTC BARTROM MIGHT BE INJURED BY FLYING DEBRIS, AND REALIZING THAT THE RIGHT ROLL COULD NOT BE STOPPED, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER ELECTED TO APPLY FULL RIGHT CYCLIC TO EXPEDITE THE STOPPAGE OF THE MAIN ROTOR. THE MAIN ROTOR STOPPED AT FIRST GROUND CONTACT, AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON IT'S RIGHT SIDE. THE CREW AND REMAINING PASSENGERS THEN EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT AND MOVED A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY TO AVOID EXPLODING AMMUNITION AND SMOKE GRENADES.\\
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number
68-15672
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 6905 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 6906 17 17 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6907 164 181 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6908 0 181 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 6909 0 181 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 6910 0 181 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 6911 11 192 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6912 134 326 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7001 143 469 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7002 104 573 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7003 133 706 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7004 93 799 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7005 133 932 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7006 135 1067 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7007 99 1166 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7008 96 1262 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7009 97 1359 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7010 138 1497 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7011 91 1588 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7012 115 1703 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7101 0 1703 WAX9AA 118 AHC VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law
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