THE PILOT BEGAN HAVING DIFFICULTIES MAINTAINING HIS HEADING WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LOW HOVER THE AIRCRAFT OUT OF THE REVETMENT FOR A TEST FLIGHT AFTER REPLACING AND TRACKING THE TAIL ROTOR WHICH HAD RECEIVED SHRAPNEL DAMAGE. AFTER LEFT PEDAL WAS ADDID THE AIRCRAFT STABILIZED AND THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER STARTED MOVING IT FORWARD, THE NOSE AGAIN STARTED TO THE RIGHT AS HE APPLIED FULL LEFT PEDAL. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER THEN LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AT AN APPROXIMATE HEADING OF 190 TO 200. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER THOUGHT HE FELT THE SKIDS TOUCH THE GROUND AND CONTINUED TO LOWER THE COLLECTIVE INSTEAD OF ROLLING OFF THROTTLE. AT THIS TIME THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE AND ACCELERATED SPIN TO THE RIGHT. AT ABOUT 270 HE PULLED OFF THE THROTTLE AND THOUGHT THE LEFT SKID TOUCHED DOWN BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS ROLLING FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND AS THE RIGHT SIDE TOUCHED DOWN THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT WITH AN APPROXIMATE 050 HEADING CROSSWISE IN THE REVETMENT. AS THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN REMOVED EARLIER TO THE 5TH TRANSPORTATION BATTALION FOR REPAIRS, BEFORE THE INCIDENT WAS UPGRADED TO AN ACCIDENT, CW2FINLEY POINTED OUT THE REVETMENT WHERE THE TAIL ROTOR STRIKE OCCURRED. THE REVETMENT WAS FOUND TO BE 60 FEET WIDE WITH PARALLEL WALLS ON BOTH SIDES 8 FEET HIGH AND 61 FEET LONG. THE REVETMENT AS ORIENTED 140/320, THE REVETMENT IS BUILT UPON A PSP PARKING APRON. THE PSP HAS 6 INCH LONG, 3/4 INCH THICK STEEL RODS WELDED ACROSS IT AT ODD INTERVALS ALONG WITH TIE-DOWN RINGS. SCRAPE MARKS WERE EVIDENT ON THE PSP IN 2 PLACES (TAB C, FIGURE 1). THE SMALLLER SCRAPE MARKS STARTED 4 FEET INSIDE THE SOUTHERN END OF THE REVETMENT AND FORMED A HALF MOON TOWARDS THE NORTH END FOR 4 FEET, STOPPING ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CENTER LINE 15.5 FEET FROM THE SOUTHERN END OF THE REVETMENT AND SWING EASTWARD FORMING ANOTHER HALF MOON, STOPPING 1 FOOT WEST OF THE CENTER LINE AND 2.9 FEET FROM THE EDGE. THE EAST WALL HAS 2 PARALLEL OUTS (TAB C, FIGURE 1) ON AN APPROXIMATE 030 HEADING THROUGH THE TOP 6 INCHES OF THE REVETMENT AND 26 FEET FROM THE SOUTHERN END. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER POINTED OUT THAT THE HELICOPTER STARTED OUT ON A HEADING OF 140, CENTERED, IN THE REVETMENT AND TERMINATED WITH THE RIGHT DKIS 2.9 FEET INSIDE THE SOUTHERN END ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 050 WITH THE MAIN ROTOR TIP PATCH INSIDE THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE REVETMENT. THE 90 DEGREE GEARBOX (TAB C FIGURE 1) WITH ONE SPLIT ROTOR BLADE STILL ATTACHED WAS LAYING 4 FEET FROM THE EAST WALL AND 15.5 FEET FROM THE SOUTHERN END.\\ ONE COMPLETE TAIL ROTOR BLADE WAS 55.5 FEET OUTSIDE THE NORTHERN END, ABOUT 10 FEET INSIDE THE EASTERN WALL. A PART OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER SKIN WAS APPROXIMATELY 7 FEET AWAY HEADING 230 FROM THE ROTOR BLADE. PART OF THE FAIRING LANDED 8 FEET FURTHER ON A 250 HEADING.\\
Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-15150
The Army purchased this helicopter 0569
Total flight hours at this point: 00001069
Date: 03/23/71
Unit: A/4/77 ARA 101 ABN
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XD848415
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
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-15150
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 0569.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6905 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 6906 1 1 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN MAINT SHARPE AD AVCOM 6907 0 1 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD AVCOM 6908 87 88 WAB0A0 A TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 6909 88 176 WAB0A0 A TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 6910 103 279 WAB0A0 A TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 6911 37 316 WAB0A0 A TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 6912 43 359 WAB0A0 A TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 7001 75 434 WAB0A0 A TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 7002 0 434 WAB0A0 A TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 7003 40 474 WAB0A0 A TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 7004 95 569 WAB0A0 A TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 7005 26 595 WFJ8A0 A 4-77ATY 101AC VIETNAM RVN 7006 78 673 WFJ8A0 A 4-77ATY 101AC VIETNAM RVN 7007 71 744 WFJ8A0 A 4-77ATY 101AC VIETNAM RVN 7008 43 787 WFJ8A0 A 4-77ATY 101AC VIETNAM RVN 7009 66 853 WFJ8A0 A 4-77ATY 101AC VIETNAM RVN 7010 29 882 WFJ8A0 A 4-77ATY 101AC VIETNAM RVN 7011 15 897 WFJ8A0 A 4-77ATY 101AC VIETNAM RVN 7012 42 939 WFJ8A0 A 4-77ATY 101AC VIETNAM RVN 7101 45 984 WFJ8A0 A BTRY 4 77 ART VIETNAM RVN 7102 85 1069 WFJ8A0 A BTRY 4 77 ART VIETNAM RVN 7103 0 1069 WC5CAA 604TH TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870
Printed from databases on: 02/21/99
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