Historical Data Display for Aircraft 67-17517

Model: UH-1H
Date Purchased: May 1968
Service with Rattlers & Firebirds: From Jun 1968 To Dec 1968
Flight Hours: Beginning 0 / Ending 839 -> Hours Flown: 839

Aircraft Accident/Incident History

Date: 28 Sep 1969
Description:
Total flight hours at this point: 1,453
Accident case number: 690928121 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: A/4 AVN 4 INF
The station for this helicopter was Pleiku in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 3 . . 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 O2 DENNIG JL
P W1 RUHLMAN DL
CE E4 ROBERGE MP
G E3 NORRID BR

Accident Summary:

On 28 September 1969 at approximately 1830 hours, CO A, 4th Aviation Battalion dispatched a UH-1H, 67-17517 on an evening base camp visual reconnaissance. The aircraft was preflighted by LT Dennig, the aircraft commander. Since the aircraft had been flown five hours previous to this flight the oil levels and general appearance had last been checked at approximately 0700 hours 28 September 1969 by SP4 Roberge, the crew chief. The visual reconnaissance was being conducted in the Black Sector of the base camp outer perimeter. The mission proceeded according to plan for about thirty minutes when the aircraft began a yawing motion left and right. At this time, the aircraft was in about a 20 degree left bank at an altitude of 150 feet above ground level and had an airspeed of 85 knots. Amid these apparent power surges the aircraft commander noted that the master caution light came on and he immediately entered procedures for a low level autorotation. The aircraft commander subsequently initiated a deceleration with aft cyclic application with negligible control response. Moreover, the pitch pull produced no noticeable effect. The aircraft struck a rice paddy in a right nose low attitude at approximately 1900 hrs. The aircraft skidded 60 feet from the point of impact severing the tail boom and rotor head from the airframe. The coordinates of the point of impact were ar 842432. All members of the crew exited the aircraft safely. They unmounted the right side M-60 machine gun and fired it into the air hoping that someone would see the tracers. They also fired pen gun flares which were sighted by a passing OH-6A and UH-1H. The OH-6A evacuated the door gunner, PFC Norrid, who sustained a minor foot injury to 71st Evacuation Hospital at Pleiku about 10 miles form the incident. The aircraft commander, pilot and remainder of crew and passengers were evacuated to Camp Enari by the UH-1H.

Aircraft Assignment History