Accident Summary:
ARMY AIRCRAFT, AH-1G, ^SN 67-15724^, WITH ^W1 KIRKLAND^ AS PILOT AND ^W1 KNAG^ AS CO-PILOT WAS ASSIGNED AN AUTHORIZED MISSION ON 6 OCTOBER 1972. AT APPROXIMATELY 0630 HOURS ^W1 KIRKLAND^ ARRIVED AT THE AIRCRAFT AND BEGAN HIS PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION. AT THE SAME TIME, ^W1 KNAG^ WENT TO ^H TROOP^ OPERATIONS AND FILED A LOCAL FLIGHT PLAN (DA FORM 1080) AND THEN PROCEEDED TO THE AIRCRAFT AND ASSISTED ^W1 KIRKLAND^ IN COMPLETING THE PRE-FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DETERMINED TO BE IN A FLYABLE CONDITION DURING THE PRE-FLIGHT AND THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS DEFECTS EVIDENT WHICH WOULD PREVENT THE AIRCRAFT FROM COMPLETING ITS ASSIGNED MISSION. THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FROM CAMP HOLLOWAY, RVN AT APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR PRIOR TO LANDING AT KONTUM AIRFIELD, RVN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REFUELED AND SHUT DOWN FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR. DURING THIS PERIOD, ^W1 KIRKLAND^ AND ^W1 KNAG^ PERFORMED ANOTHER INSPECTION OF THE ROTOR SYSTEM AND FLIGHT CONTROLS. THIS INSPECTION WAS BECAUSE OF A REMARK BY ^CW2 REED^, WHO FLEW THE AIRCRAFT THE DAY PRIOR, TO THE EFFECT THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD A WIERD VIBRATION. FINDING NOTHING OBVIOUSLY WRONG WITH THE AIRCRAFT, BOTH PILOTS DECIDED THAT IT WAS STILL AIRWORTHY AND MISSION READY. AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 HOURS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAUNCHED AS PART OF A FIVE AIRCRAFT TEAM AND WAS TO PROCEED ATO AN OPERATIONAL AREA NORTHWEST OF KONTUM. THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF TO THE EST AND TURNED A LEFT CROSSWIND WITH NO DIFFICULTY. AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED WEST AND BEGAN HIS CLIMBING DEPARTURE FROM TRAFFIC AT 80 KNOTS AND 500 RPM, BOTH PILOTS HEARD A THUMP IN THE AIRCRAFT. THIS THUMP WAS BEST DESCRIBED AS THAT TYPE OF NOISE HEARD WHEN PERFORMING A HYDRAULICS CHECK DURING RUN-UP AND THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM IS TURNED BACK ON WITH THE CONTROLS SLIGHTLY DISPLACED. THE PILOT CHECKED ALL OF HIS INSTRUMENTS AND FLIGHT CONTROLS AS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY AND CONTINUED HIS CLIMB TO THE WEST NORTHWEST. AS THE AIRCRAFT REACHED APPROXIMATELY 4,000 FEET MSL, THE PILOT MOVED THE CYCLIC FORWARD TO INCREASE THE AIRSPEED TO 100 KNOTS FOR CRUISE FLIGHT. UPON APPLICATION OF FORWARD CYCLIC, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SEVERE FEEDBACK IN THE FORE AND AFT CYCLIC AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A SLIGHT DIVE. THE PILOT CALLED OVER THE RADIO FOR THE CO-PILOT TO "GET ON THE CYCLIC" TO ASSIST HIM IN CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT. AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME THE PILOT MADE A MAYDAY CALL AND INSTRUCTED THE CO-PILOT TODO THE SAME. THE PILOT CONTINUED TO RECEIVE SEVERE FEEDBACK IN THE CYCLIC AND WAS USING BOTH HANDS ON THE CYCLIC AT THIS TIME WITH THE CO-PILOT CONTROLLING THE COLLECTIVE AND ASSISTING ON THE CYCLIC. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT' WITNESS STATEMENT, ALL OTHER CONTROLS WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY AND THE ENGINE WAS NORMAL WITH ROTOR AND ENGINE RPM IN THE GREEN. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO FORCE THE CYCLIC AFT AND PLACED THE AIRCRAFT IN A SLIGHT DECELERATING ATTITUDE AND BEGAN A DESCENT TO AN OPEN FIELD DIRECTLY TO HIS FRONT. THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DECELERATING TOO RAPIDLY AND ATTEMPTED TO APPLY FORWARD CYCLIC. THE SEVERE FEEDBACK AND FORCES PREVENTED HIM FROM DOING SO, AND THE AIRCRAFT LOST ALL OF ITS FORWARD AIRSPEED APPROXIMATELY 100 METERS SHORT OF THE INTENDED LANDING SITE AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET OF ALTITUDE. AT THIS TIME THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN FALLING THROUGH IN A SLIGHTLY TAIL LOW ATTITUDE AND CRASHED INTO THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED WITH APPROXIMATELY A 10 TO 15 DEGREE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WITH THE SKIDS LEVEL WITH THE HORIZON. BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME VERTICAL FORCES ENCOUNTERED UPON IMPACAT, THE LANDING SKID CROSSTUBE ASSEMBLY FAILED AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE LEFT WITH THE MAIN ROTOR STILL TURNING. THE ROLL TO THE LEFT AND SUBSEQUENT STOPPAGE OF THE ROTOR SYSTEM SEVERED ALL CONTROL LINKAGE AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME AND TRANSMISSION MOUNT AREA AS THE TRANSMISSION WAS TORN COMPLETELY OUT OF ITS MOUNTS. BOTH OF THE PILOTS WERE DAZED BY THE INITIAL IMPACT FORCES AND WERE ASSISTED IN THEIR ESCAPE FROM THE AIRCRAFT BY THE CREWCHIEF AND GUNNER OF A UH-1H WHO OBSERVED THE EMERGENCY AND FOLLOWED THE AH-1G TO THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE THROUGHT HE NORMAL EXIT WITH THE HELP OF THE CREWCHIEF; HOWEVER THE CO-PILOT'S CANOPY HAD TO BE BUSTED OPEN IN ORDER FOR HIM TO ESCAPE. THE PILOT RECEIVED A SEVERE BACK STRAIN AND THE CO-PILOT RECEIVED A SMALL CUT ON HIS CHIN AND ELBOW DUE TO IMPACT. IN ADDITION, THE CO-PILOT HAD A PARTIAL MEMORY LOSS AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT WHICH LASTED APPROXIMATELY THREE DAYS. BOTH PILOTS WERE IMMEDIATELY EVACUATED TO A HOSPITAL IN PLEIKU. RECOVERY OPERATIONS BEGAN SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO CAMP HOLLOWAY THE SAME DAY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15724
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 0 0 3300 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6811 0 0 WADPT0 UNIT NOT KNOWN VIETNAM RVN 6812 36 36 WADPD0 D TRP 2SQ1CV4IN VIETNAM RVN 6901 42 78 WADPD0 D TRP 2SQ1CV4IN VIETNAM RVN 6902 0 78 3205 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6903 0 78 3205 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6904 27 105 WADPD0 D TRP 2SQ1CV4IN VIETNAM RVN 6905 0 105 3205 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6906 0 105 3205 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6907 39 144 WADPD0 D TRP 2SQ1CV4IN VIETNAM RVN 6908 66 210 WADPD0 D TRP 2SQ1CV4IN VIETNAM RVN 6909 56 266 WADPD0 D TRP 2SQ1CV4IN VIETNAM RVN 6910 35 301 WADPD0 D TRP 2SQ1CV4IN VIETNAM RVN 6911 81 382 WADPD0 D TRP 2SQ1CV4IN VIETNAM RVN 6912 47 429 WADPD0 D TRP 2SQ1CV4IN VIETNAM RVN 7001 71 500 WADPD0 D 2SQ 1 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7002 61 561 WADPD0 D TRP 211 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7003 38 599 WADPD0 D TRP 211 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7004 0 599 3532 7 CORPS SPT COM GERMANY EUROPE 7005 43 642 WADPD0 D TRP 211 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7006 25 667 WADPD0 D TRP 211 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7007 0 667 WADPD0 D TRP 211 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7008 67 734 WADPD0 D TRP 211 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7009 33 767 WD8SAA D TRP 211 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7010 73 840 WD8SAA D TRP 211 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7011 0 840 3532 AVN SEC EBD 6TH ARMY FORT ORD CBTDVCOM 7012 0 840 3532 NAT&GUARD NAT GDZI 7101 0 840 WC5EAA 608 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 7102 0 840 WC5EAA 608 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 7103 16 856 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7104 54 910 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7105 22 932 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7106 19 951 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7107 33 984 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7108 51 1035 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7109 79 1114 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7110 11 1125 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7111 78 1203 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7112 26 1229 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7201 42 1271 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7202 61 1332 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7203 60 1392 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7204 6 1398 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7205 61 1459 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7206 44 1503 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7207 14 1517 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7208 7 1524 WFAPAA H TRP AIR 17 AC VIETNAM RVN 7209 2 1526 WFAPAA H TRP AIR 17 AC VIETNAM RVN 7210 33 1559 WFAPAA H TRP AIR 17 AC VIETNAM RVN 7211 0 1559 W0Y6AA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7212 0 1559 W0Y6AA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7301 0 1559 W0Y6AA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7302 0 1559 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7303 0 1559 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7304 0 1559 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7305 0 1559 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7306 0 1559 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7307 0 1559 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7308 0 1559 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7309 0 1559 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7310 0 1559 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7311 0 1559 W0MUAA SUPPLY DIV 5TH ARMY FORT SILL TRADOC 7312 0 1559 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM
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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