THE AH-1G, ^ SN67-15490^ WAS ENGAGED IN TRAINING TRAINING TO PREPARE A MEMBER OF THE UNIT FOR AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT QUALIFICATION CHECKRIDE. A QUALIFIED SIP WAS AT THE CONTROLS IN THE AFT PILOT'S SEAT AND THE PILOT (IP TRAINEE) WAS IN THE FORWARD GUNNER' S SEAT. THE SIP AND THE PILOT HAD BEEN FLYING FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AND TEN MINUTES, PERFORMING NORMAL MANEUVERS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THEY HAD PROGRESSED TO THE PERFORMANCE OF PRACTICE AUTOROTATIONS. A TOTAL OF FIVE (5) AUTOROTATIONS WERE PERFORMED, THE FIRST ONE BEING A DEMONSTRATION BY THE SIP. THE NEXT FOUR (4), INCLUDING THE ONE IN WHICH THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE WERE PERFORMED BY THE PILOT WITH THE SIP NEAR THE CONTROLS. ON TERMINATION OF THE LAST AUTOROTATION, THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED AN EXCESSIVELY HIGH SINK RATE WHICH WAS NOTICED BY THE OCCUPANTS AT APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET. THE PILOT APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO SLOW THE RATE OF DESCENT, BUT THE AIRCRAFT FELL THROUGH AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND HEELS LOW, ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY. COLLECTIVE PITCH WAS STILL BEING APPLIED BY THE PILOT, ASSISTED BY THE SIP, SO THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED INTO THE AIR ABOUT 3-4 FEET IN AN EXTREMELY NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. ONE WITNESS STATED THAT THE ROTOR DISK CAME WITHIN INCHES OF CONTACTING THE GROUND. THE SIP THEN TOOK FULL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND APPLIED AFT CYCLIC TO LEVEL THE AIRCRAFT FROM IT'S PRECARIOUS ATTITUDE. IT WAS THAT MOVEMENT OF THE CYCLIC WHICH PROBABLY CAUSED BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO STRIKE THE TAIL BOOM AND SEVERE THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT HAD COME TO REST, THE SIP BROUGHT THE ENGINE TO OPERATING RPM TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT AWAY FROM THE LANE. HE WAS THEN INFORMED BY ONE OF THE EYEWITNESSES THAT THE TAIL ROTOR WAS INOPERATIVE, SO HE SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT IN PLACE.\\
Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15490
The Army purchased this helicopter 0268
Total flight hours at this point: 00001850
Date: 01/20/72
Accident case number: 720120081
Unit: 57 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Camp Holloway in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 28385
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
P O3 MCDONALD RC
CE E4 SPARKS TV
Passengers:
UNK, MS, G;
Accident Summary:
^CAPTAIN ROBERT C. MCDOANLD, SSAN 515-34-9813^ WAS ASSIGNED A MISSION AT 1445 HOURS, 20 JANUARY 1972 TO TEST THE RECENTLY REPAIRED ARMAMENT SYSTEM OF AH-1G HELICOPTER, ^SN 67-15490^ ASSIGNED TO THE ^57TH AHC, 52ND AVN BN,^ APO SF 97494. ^CPT MCDONALD^ AND HIS CREWCHIEF ARRIVED AT THE FLIGHT LINE AT APPROXIMATELY 1515 HOURS AND BEGAN THE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ARMAMENT SYSTEMS. PREFLIGHT WAS COMPLETED AND ^CPT. MCDONALD^ PREFORMED AN ENGINE RUNUP. PREFLIGHT AND RUNUP WERE ACCEPTABLE TO CPT MCDONALD AND HE CALLED FOR AND RECEIVED HOVER AND TAKE-OFF INSTRUCTIONS. AFTER HE RECEIVED THESE INSTRUCTIONS, THE AIRCRAFT HAD A DC GENERATOR FAILURE. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THIS FAILURE AND WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. ^CPT MCDONALD^ AT THIS TIME CANCELLED HIS MISSION AND ELECTED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT TO THE MAINTENANCE HANGER. AS HE ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE REVETMENT, THE AIRCRAFT YAWED TO THE LEFT CAUSING THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE TO STRIKE THE REVETMENT. UPON IMPACT THE 90 DEGREE GEAR BOX SEPARATED FROM THE TAIL BOOM AND THE AIRCRAFT SPUN TO THE RIGHT AMKING TWO 360 DEGREE TURNS. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE, THERE WAS NO FIRE, FUEL OR OIL LOSS. NO INJURIES WERE RECEIVED BY ^CPT MCDONALD^ OR HIS CREWCHIEF, ^SP/4 SPARKS^ WHO WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15490
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 0268.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6802 0 0 W0Y6AA INTRANSIT IN TRANSIT AVCOMCTR 6803 0 0 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN MAINT SHARPE AD AVCOM 6804 0 0 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD AVCOM 6805 23 23 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6806 50 73 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6807 67 140 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6808 60 200 WGPPAA 334 ARMD HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6809 22 222 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6810 0 222 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6811 7 229 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6812 46 275 WAHMD0 TRPD 1SQ4CAV1IN VIETNAM RVN 6901 63 338 WAHMD0 TRPD 1SQ4CAV1IN VIETNAM RVN 6902 37 375 WAHMD0 TRPD 1SQ4CAV1IN VIETNAM RVN 6903 103 478 WAHMD0 TRPD 1SQ4CAV1IN VIETNAM RVN 6904 26 504 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6905 0 504 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6906 0 504 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6907 0 504 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6908 1 505 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6909 43 548 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6910 62 610 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6911 42 652 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6912 54 706 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7001 74 780 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7002 52 832 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7003 90 922 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7004 56 978 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7005 75 1053 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7006 62 1115 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7007 90 1205 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7008 96 1301 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7009 0 1301 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7010 63 1364 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7011 82 1446 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7012 66 1512 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7101 36 1548 WAG3T0 HQ 2 20 ARTY VIETNAM RVN 7102 0 1548 WAG3T0 HQ 2 20 ARTY VIETNAM RVN 7103 61 1609 WAAVD0 D 227TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7104 64 1673 WAAVD0 D 227TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7105 36 1709 WAAVD0 D 227TH BN VIETNAM RVN 7106 40 1749 WAAVD0 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7107 4 1753 WAX5AA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7108 1 1754 WAX5AA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7109 23 1777 WAX5AA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7110 23 1800 WAX5AA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7111 5 1805 WAX5AA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7112 14 1819 WAX5AA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7201 31 1850 WAX5AA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7202 0 1850 WAX5AA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7203 0 1850 WAX5AA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7204 10 1860 WAX5AA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7205 44 1904 WAX5AA 57 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7206 24 1928 WAX5AA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7207 0 1928 WAX5AA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7208 0 1928 WC5CAA 604TH TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7209 0 1928 W0Y6AA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7210 0 1928 W0Y6AA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7211 0 1928 W0Y6AA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7212 0 1928 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN TRANSIT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7301 0 1928 W0MUAA AVSCOM PROJECT LOAN ST LOUIS AVSCOM 7302 0 1928 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7303 0 1928 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7304 0 1928 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7305 2 1930 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7306 3 1933 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7307 2 1935 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7308 9 1944 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7309 0 1944 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 1ST ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7310 0 1944 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 1ST ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7311 1 1945 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 1ST ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7312 0 1945 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FT KNOX FORSCOM 7401 4 1949 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FT KNOX FORSCOM 7402 20 1969 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FT KNOX FORSCOM 7403 14 1983 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FT KNOX FORSCOM 7404 1 1984 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FT KNOX FORSCOM 7405 0 1984 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FT KNOX FORSCOM 7406 37 2021 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FT KNOX FORSCOM 7410 4 2045 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FT KNOX FORSCOM 7411 0 2045 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7412 0 2045 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7501 0 2045 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7502 14 2059 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7503 13 2072 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7504 14 2086 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7505 8 2094 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7506 11 2105 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7507 6 2111 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7508 7 2118 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7509 16 2134 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7510 1 2135 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7511 17 2152 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM 7512 10 2162 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX FORSCOM
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870
Printed from databases on: 02/14/99
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