Helicopter AH-1G 67-15719

Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15719
The Army purchased this helicopter 0868
Total flight hours at this point: 00001468
Date: 08/25/70
Incident number: 700825101ACD Accident case number: 700825101 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: A/2/20 ARA 1 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Bien Hoa in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 2 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 593230
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 CW2 RAWLINSON TERRELL LEE KIA
P WO1 GODFREY BARRY WILLIAM KIA

Passengers:
RT HENSELEN, FCO, G;

Accident Summary:

^AH-1G,SN: 67-15719^, WAS PART OF A LIGHT FIRE TEAM THAT DEPARTED PHOUC VINH AT 1300 HOURS, 25 AUG 1970, ENROUTE TO ^BIEN HOA ARMY BASE^ WHERE IT WAS TO PERFORM A DEMONSTRATION OF THE CAPABILITIES OF AERIAL FIELD ARTILLERY. THE NORMAL DEMONSTRATION, WHICH INCLUDED SEVERAL FIRING PASSES AND A LOW LEVEL FLY BY WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH ONLY ONE INCIDENT. THE WING SHIP ON THE FLY BY CAME CLOSER TO THE SPECTATORS THAN WAS NECESSARY AND BARELY MISSED A PARKED AIRCRAFT. AFTER THE FLY BY THE GROUND CONTROLLER GAVE THE SECTION AN END OF MISSION AND THEY SHOULD HAVE RETURNED TO PHOUC VINH. INSTEAD OF RETURNING, THE SECTION LEADER APPROVED A SECOND FLY BY. THE SECTION DID NOT FORM UP INTO A FORMATION PRIOR TO THE DIVE BUT WERE TO FORM UP WHILE IN THE DIVE. THE LEAD SHIP FLEW BY THE SPECTATORS WHILE THE WING SHIP TOOK UP A COURSE APPROXIMATELY 60 DEGREES AWAY FROM THE SPECTATORS DOWN RANGE. HE INITIATED A STEEP DIVE AT APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET APPEARED TO ATTEMPT A RECOVERY AT 200 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO ALMOST A LEVEL ATTITUDE WHN IT HIT THE GOUND AND EXPLODED. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND THE SKIDS AND ROCKET PODS BROKE OFF, BOTH BLADES HIT THE GROUND,THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED UP APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET AND STRUCK A 12 FOOT HIGH BERM. THE BERM FLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT END TO END AND IT BROKE APART.\\

This record was last updated on 09/20/98

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: WO1 Barry William Godfrey
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 08/25/70 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 20.5
Date of Birth: 02/10/50
Home City: Pelham, NH
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: A/2/20 ARA 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 70-7/70-5
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 07W-004
Short Summary: During high speed low level turn rotor blades hit ground at Ben Hoa during an orientation demo flight w/ Terrance Rawlinson.
Aircraft: AH-1G tail number 67-15719
SSN: 027408365
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100E = Attack Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: A/C Accident
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: co-pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 07/20/70
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Bien Hoa Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 07/29/95

Name: CW2 Terrell Lee Rawlinson (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 08/25/70 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 21.0
Date of Birth: 08/13/49
Home City: Palestine, TX
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: A/2/20 ARA 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 69-29
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 07W-006
Short Summary: During high speed low level turn rotors struck ground during oientation demo at Bien Hoa with Barry Godfrey.
Aircraft: AH-1G tail number 67-15719
SSN: 454804480
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100E = Attack Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: A/C Accident
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 12/08/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Bien Hoa Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 07/29/95

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15719
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 0868.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6808   0    0 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN MAINT   SHARPE AD        AVCOM       
6809   0    0 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN MAINT   SHARPE AD        AVCOM       
6810   1    1 WCLSAA 388 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     
6811  54   55 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6812  46  101 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6901  69  170 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6902  61  231 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6903  71  302 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6904  39  341 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6905  48  389 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6906 114  503 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6907  75  578 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6908   1  579 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6909  22  601 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6910  90  691 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6911 105  796 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
6912  62  858 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7001   0  858 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7002  74  932 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7003 100 1032 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN       
7004  92 1124 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7005 106 1230 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN       
7006 126 1356 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN       
7007 112 1468 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN

Please send additions or corrections to:

Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870

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Printed from databases on: 02/14/99

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