Helicopter
UH-1H 66-16550

Information on U.S. Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 66-16550
The Army purchased this helicopter 0667
Total flight hours at this point: 00001166
Date: 05/07/69
Accident case number: 690507252
Unit: E/82 ARTY 1 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Phouc Vinh in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 3
costing 0
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
P W1 MELTON GL
CE E5 HALLER KE
G E5 REICKENBERG JJ

Passengers:
UNK THREE, PAX, G;
UNK THREE, PAX, G;
UNK THREE, PAX, G;

Information on U.S. Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 66-16550
The Army purchased this helicopter 0667
Total flight hours at this point: 00001513
Date: 10/16/69
Accident case number: 691016121 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: A/1 AVN 1 INF
The station for this helicopter was Tan Son Nhut in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
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:
AC W1 BURNS GV
P W2 MAYER RN

Accident Summary:

THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A COURIER MISSION FROM USARV
HEADQUARTERS TO TAN SON NHUT HELIPORT WITH THREE PASSENGERS
ABOARD AND WAS CRUISING AT 500 FEET INDICATED ALTITUDE
AND 80 KNOTS INDICATED AIRSPEED. THE CREW MEMBERS SUDDENLY
HEARD A LOUD WHINE THAT WAS BEING EMITTED FROM THE
TRANSMISSION AREA OF THE AIRCRAFT.

THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER INITIATED AN INSTRUMENT CHECK
AND NOTED THAT THE PILOT WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY MAKING A CONTROL
CHECK OF THE ANTI-TORQUE PEDALS. WITH THE ANTI-TORQUE PEDALS
BEING DISPLACED LEFT AND RIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT YAWED BOTH LEFT
AND RIGHT ALSO. ALL INSTRUMENTS APPEARED TO BE OPERATING
WITHIN NORMAL OPERATING RANGE AND THE ANTI-TORQUE PEDALS
SEEMED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN ON MOMENTARILY BEFORE A SECOND
AND LOUDER NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE TRANSMISSION SECTION OF
THE AIRCRAFT. AGAIN AN INSTRUMENT CHECK WAS INITIATED BY
THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WITH ALL INSTRUMENTS READING WITHIN
NORMAL OPERATING RANGE WITH 80 KNOTS INDICATED AIRSPEED.

THE PILOT, WHO REMAINED AT THE CONTROLS DURING
THE ENTIRE INCIDENT, WAS CHECKING THE ANTI-TORQUE CONTROLS
BUT COULD GET NO RESPONSE WITH FULL AND RIGHT PEDALS APPLIED.
THE AIRCRAFT SIMULTANEOUSLY YAWED TO THE RIGHT WITH THE ADVENT
OF THE SECOND LOUD NOISE. THE CREW CHIEF STATED THAT THE
TAIL ROTOR WAS STOPPING. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER THE
AIRCRAFT TOWARDS TAN SON NHUT AIRFIELD BUT COULD NOT KEEP
THE AIRCRAFT FROM TURNING RIGHT DESPITE THE INITIAL 80 KNOTS
INDICATED AIRSPEED AND FULL LEFT CYCLIC APPLIED.

THE AIRCRAFT TURNED 180 DEGREES TO AN EASTERLY HEADING
AND THE AIRSPEED HAD DROPPED TO 60 KNOTS. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED
TO REGAIN AIRSPEED BY INCREASING COLLECTIVE PITCH AND APPLYING
FORWARD CYCLIC. THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED TO TUCK
UNDER WITH A SIMULTANEOUS ROLL TO THE RIGHT.
CORRECTIVE MANEUVERS OF FULL AFT AND LEFT CYCLIC FAILED
TO RAISE THE NOSE ANY NOTICEABLE AMOUNT NOR DID IT CORRECT
THE ANGLE OF BANK, ALTHOUGH THE AIRCRAFT DID STABILIZE IN THIS ATTITUDE.

THE AIRCRAFT KEPT TURNING RIGHT IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE IN AN
EVERY TIGHTENING CIRCLE. HTE AIRSPEED STABILIZED AT APPROXIMATELY
30 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT AT THIS TIME HAD COMPLETED A 360 DEGREE TURN
AND BEGAN TURNING ABOUT THE MAST. AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET
AGL THE PILOT ROLLED OFF THROTTLE AND ENTERED AUTOROTATION.
THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO RAISE THE NOSE TO A NEARLY LEVEL ATTITUDE.
THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD IN A SLIGHTLY NOSE LOW AND LEFT ATTITUDE.\\

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 66-16550
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 0667.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST     COUNTRY
6706   1    1 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN   6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD       AVCOM
6707   0    1 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN   6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD       AVCOM
6708  86   87 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6709  80  167 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6710  85  252 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6711  71  323 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6712  73  396 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6801   0  396 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6802 127  523 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6803  50  573 3261   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL    4TH ARMY
6804  49  622 3261   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH        AVCOM
6805   0  622 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN
6806   0  622 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN   AVCOM
6807   0  622 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN   AVCOM
6808   0  622 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN   AVCOM
6809   0  622 3300   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                 PACIFIC
6810  54  676 WAG7EA BTRYE82ART 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6811  79  755 WAG7E0 BTRYE82ART 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6812  89  844 WAG7E0 BTRYE82ART 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6901  67  911 WAG7E0 BTRYE82ART 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6902  57  968 WAG7E0 BTRYE82ART 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6903  94 1062 WAG7E0 BTRYE82ART 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6904  91 1153 WAG7E0 BTRYE82ART 1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6905  13 1166 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN
6906   0 1166 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN
6907  42 1208 WAHBA0 COA 1STAVBN 1IN  VIETNAM                     RVN
6908 165 1373 WAHBA0 COA 1STAVBN 1IN  VIETNAM                     RVN
6909 140 1513 WAHBA0 COA 1STAVBN 1IN  VIETNAM                     RVN