Helicopter AH-1G 68-15206

Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-15206
The Army purchased this helicopter 0869
Total flight hours at this point: 00002334
Date: 06/24/72
Incident number: 720624061ACD Accident case number: 720624061 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 388 TC CO
The station for this helicopter was Long Thanh North in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 580333
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 DILALLO JOHN LAWRENCE KIA

Passengers:
UNK UNK, LCO, G;

Accident Summary:

AT APPROXIMATELY 2230 HOURS, 24 JUNE 1972, ^CW2 JOHN L. DILALLO^ TOOK OFF ON A TEST FLIGHT FROM LONG THANH NORTH ARMY AIRFIELD. JUST BEFORE TAKEOFF, HE STATED TO THE CREW CHIEF THAT HE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS READY FOR THE UPCOMING TRIP TO DA NANG. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY APPARENT TO OBSERVERS ON THE GROUND. ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER THE PILOT CALLED LONG THANH TO TELL THEM THAT HE HAD A PARTIAL LOSS OF CYCLIC CONTROL AND WAS GOING DOWN. A FEW SECONDS LATER HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS GOING INTO A RIVER AT APPROXIMATELY GRID COORDINATE 0391 WITH 190 KNOTS AND NO CYCLIC CONTROL.\\

This record was last updated on 09/20/98

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: CW2 John Lawrence Dilallo
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/24/72 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 23.1
Date of Birth: 05/25/49
Home City: Schenectady, NY
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: F/79 ARA 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Flight class: 70-13/70-11
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 01W-048
Short Summary: Cylic locked up during night maintenance test flight after departing Long Thanh North. Crashed in Saigon River body recovered 6/27/72.
Aircraft: AH-1G tail number 68-15206
SSN: 060443475 Service number: W
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100E = Attack Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: A/C Accident MN
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 05/29/72
"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.
Military grid coordinates of event: YS130970

Additional information about this casualty:
On second tour in maintenance. This test flight was flown alone which was very unusual. Cobra test pilots normally took someone along on test flights. The mechanics who worked on this AH-1G were surprised no none went along. They suspect he committed suicide because he hit the river in a dive in excess of 190 knots. Another theory was that he expected to survive and then disappear. The mechanics heard that he had just gotten a "dear John" letter and that his mother was in financial difficulty. The last few minutes of radio transmissions were recorded by Long Bien tower

Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Presbyterian
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 07/27/96

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-15206
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 0869.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6908   0    0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS      ITR CONUS                   AVCOMITR
6909   1    1 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD        AVCOM        
6910   0    1 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD        AVCOM        
6911  38   39 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6912 115  154 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7001 244  398 WAG3A0 ABTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7002 122  520 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7003 148  668 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7004 121  789 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7005 120  909 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7006 125 1034 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN       
7007  93 1127 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7008  65 1192 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7009  77 1269 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7010  92 1361 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7011 122 1483 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN       
7012  72 1555 WAG3B0 BBTRY2BN20A1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN      
7101 137 1692 WAG3B0 B 2 20 ARTY      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7102   0 1692 WAG3B0 B 2 20 ARTY      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7103  45 1737 WFJ4D0 D 158TH AHB      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7104  92 1829 WFJ4D0 D 158TH AHB      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7105  86 1915 WFJ4D0 D 158TH AHB      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7106  92 2007 WFJ4D0 D 158TH AHB      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7107  46 2053 WFJ4D0 D 158TH AHB      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7108  81 2134 WFJ4D0 D 158TH AHB      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7109  75 2209 WFJ4D0 D 158TH AHB      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7110  43 2252 WFJ4D0 D 158TH AHB      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7111  21 2273 WFJ4D0 D 158TH AHB      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7112   9 2282 WFJ4D0 388 TC CO        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7201   2 2284 WCLSAA 388 TC CO        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7202   0 2284 WCLSAA 388 TC CO        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7203   0 2284 WCLSAA 388 TC CO        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7204   0 2284 WCLSAA 388 TC CO        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7205   0 2284 WCLSAA 388 TC CO        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7206  50 2334 WCLSAA 388 TC CO        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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