ENG FAILED IN FLT PLT AUTO M/R FLEXED DOWN & STRUCK DRIVE SHAFT \ ENGINE FAILED FROM FUEL STARVATION, FUEL STARVATION, FUEL STARVATION CAUSED BY LOW FUEL AND NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.\\
Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15519
The Army purchased this helicopter 0268
Total flight hours at this point: 00001159
Date: 02/21/70
Unit: A/2/20 ARA 1 CAV
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Close Air Support
While On Target this helicopter was Attacking at 2000 feet and 120 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: JSIDR (Joint Services Incident Damage Report. )
Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15519
The Army purchased this helicopter 0268
Total flight hours at this point: 00001729
Date: 08/01/70
Unit: A/2/20 ARA 1 CAV
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XT928478
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15519
Date: 08/01/70
Incident number: 700801111ACD Accident case number: 700801111 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: A/2/20 ARA 1 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Phu Vinh in
Number killed in accident = 2 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 593230
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
P CPT KRAXNER FRANK IMRE KIA
P 2LT CAPLAN DAVID LEON KIA
Accident Summary:
THE CREW OF AH-1G, SN ^67-15519^, WAS ON A NIGHT COVER MISSION OVER A LOW-FLYING UH-1H EQUIPPED WITH A XENON SEARCHLIGHT. THE AH-1G, SN ^67-15519^, WAS ASSIGNED TO THE NIGHT COVER MISSION AND SCRAMBLED ABOUT 2000 HOURS ON 1 AUG 70. ITS MISSION WAS TO PROVIDE OVERHEAD COVER FOR THE LOW-FLYING UH-1H. THE UH-1H PRIMARY MISSION WAS TO SEARCH VIA SEARCHLIGHT FOR ANY UNUSUAL ACTIVITY IN THE VICINITY OF THE PHUOC VINH BASE CAMP. THE CEILING CONSIDERED USUABLE BY THE PILOTS WAS 1000 TO 1200 FEET ON THE AIRCRAFT ALTIMETERS, OR APPROX. 800 TO 1000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL BECAUSE OF THE ABOVE SEA-LEVEL ALTITUDE OF THE PHUOC VINH AREA. THE UH-1H WAS MANUEVERING AROUND AN AREA THAT HAD BEEN REPORTED TO HAVE SUSPECT VEHICLE ACTIVITY DURING THE DAY. THE AH-1G WAS FLYING JUST UNDER THE DESCRIBED CLOUD CEILING. THE UH-1H REQUESTED THE AH-1G EXPEND SEVERAL 10 POUND ROCKETS INTO A BAMBOO THICKET SO AS TO CLEAR THE AREA FOR OBSERVATION. THE AH-1G AGREED TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUEST AND BEGAN SEVERAL ROCKET FIRING PASSES INTO THE MARKED AREA. THE TARGET WAS ATTACKED FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND EACH TIME THE UH-1H RETURNED TO THE TARGET AREA AND COMPLETED VISUAL OBSERVATIONS. ON THE RUN THE UH-1H MARKED THE TARGET WITH A 40MM FLARE AND DEPARTED THE AREA. THE AH-1G, FROM AN ALTITUDE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 800 TO 1000 FEET, COMMENCED ITS FINAL DIVE INTO A GENERALLY SOUTH TO NORTH DIRECTION. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED DOWN ITS DIVE ANGLE PATH, FIRING THREE PAIR OF ROCKETS AND THEN A FOURTH PAIR. THE AIRCRAFT AT THIS TIME WAS AT AN EXTREMELY LOW ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND. AFTER THE LAST PAIR OF ROCKETS WERE FIRED, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A LEFT TURN, TOWARD THE NORTHWEST, TO PULL OUT OF THE FIRING PASS DIVE. APPARENTLY THE PULL OUT PROCEDURE WAS BEGUN TOO CLOSE TO THE GROUND, AS THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN LEVEL, LEFT SIDE LOW, ALTITUDE. ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE APPARENTLY STRUCK THE GROUND OR A TREE TO THE LEFT OF THE IMPACT POINT, SEVERING IT. ANOTHER TREE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT APPARENTLY SEVERED THE RIGHT SKID AND THE VERTICAL FIN FROM THE TAIL BOOM. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED IN A STRAIGHT LINE DIRECTION AND PORTIONS OF IT CAME TO REST DIRECTLY DOWN THE AVENUE OF IMPACT. THE INITIAL CONTACT POINT CONSISTED OF A 15 FOOT TRENCH DUG ABOUT 12 INCHES DEEP. THE TRENCH WAS STRAIGHT AND ALL WRECKAGE LAY IN THE SAME DIRECTION, ON AN APPROX. AXIS OF 285 DEG.\\
This record was last updated on 05/25/98
The following is crew member information for this incident:
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15519
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 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD AVCOM 6803 0 0 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN MAINT SHARPE AD AVCOM 6804 0 0 3300 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6805 26 26 3261 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6806 66 92 3261 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6807 98 190 3261 OPM SEA NITEOPS 1ST ARMY FORT BELVOIR AMC 6808 103 293 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6809 28 321 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6810 0 321 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6811 13 334 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6812 10 344 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6901 35 379 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6902 85 464 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6903 61 525 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6904 19 544 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6905 30 574 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6906 57 631 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6907 56 687 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6908 58 745 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6909 30 775 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6910 94 869 WAG3C0 CBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6911 62 931 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6912 75 1006 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7001 85 1091 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7002 68 1159 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7003 97 1256 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7004 111 1367 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7005 126 1493 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7006 143 1636 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN 7007 93 1729 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870
Printed from databases on: 02/14/99
Return to Main Index
Copyright © 1998 and 1999 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association