Helicopter
UH-1H 67-17504

Information on U.S. Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 67-17504
The Army purchased this helicopter 0568
Total flight hours at this point: 00000391
Date: 11/07/68
Accident case number: 681107201 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: B/227 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Bien Hoa in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 228554
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 KEARNS PT
CP W1 LEMASTERS ME

Accident Summary:

AT 0630 HOURS, UH-1H, SN 67-17504 ASSIGNED TO B COMPANY,
227TH AVIATION BN (AH) CRASHED AT YS805946 RVN A POINT APPROXIMATELY
ONE CLICK NW NORTHWEST OF QUAN LOI. THIS AIRCRAFT DEPARTED QUAN LOI
ABOUT 0600 HOURS, IT HAD COMPLETED ONE RESUPPLY SORTIE IN THE AREA,
AND PICKED UP A SECOND LOAD. ON THIS SECOND SORTIE, THE COPILOT
WAS AT THE CONTROLS. ON HIS APPROACH TO THIS LZ, THE PILOT DETERMINED
THAT THEY WERE TOO HIGH AND TOO FAST TO LAND, ORDERED A GO-AROUND,
AND ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.

HE MADE THE NEXT APPROACH WITHOUT LANDING BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM
IDENTIFYING THE GROUND GUIDE. ON THE THIRD APPROACH HE LANDED.
AFTER THE CARGO WAS UNLOADED, THE CO-PILOT AGAIN TOOK THE CONTROLS.
THE GROUND CONTROLLER HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO CLEAR THEM FOR
A STEEP DEPARTURE ON A HEADING OF 050 DEGREES. THE PILOT ASSUMED
THAT THE CO-PILOT WOULD DEPART ON THAT HEADING. NEITHER OF THEM
CALLED THE GROUND CONTROLLER. THE CO-PILOT STARTED HIS TAKE OFF
ON A HEADING OF 050 DEGREES, TO A POINT HE THOUGHT WAS CLEAR OF
A TREE TO HIS LEFT.

HE THEN ABRUPTLY TURNED LEFT TO A HEADING OF 330 DEGREES,
AND STRUCK THE TREE AT ABOUT THE 10 O-CLOCK POSITION ON HIS MIAIN
ROTOR. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE LEFT, STRUCK THE GROUND,
THEN ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. IT SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE TO ALL
COMPONENTS. THERE WAS NO FIRE. ALL CREW MEMBERS ESCAPED,
UNINJURED.\\

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter
UH-1H tail number 67-17504
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 0568.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST    COUNTRY
6805   0    0 3300   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL   4TH ARMY
6806  90   90 3261   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL   4TH ARMY
6807 116  206 3261   OPM SEA NITEOPS  1ST ARMY   FORT BELVOIR     AMC
6808 147  353 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6809  38  391 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN
6810   0  391 WAAVB0 COB 227ABAH1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN