THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING FLOWN ON A DCS MISSION FROM AN KHE TO QUI NHON. WHILE ENROUTE TO QUI NHON MR. REGISTER RECEIVED A RADIO CAL REQUESTING THAT HE PICK UP ONE PASSENGER AT PHU CAT AND DELIVER HIM TO QUI NHON. AFTER A NORMAL LANDING AND TAKEOFF AT PHU CAT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ENROUTE TO QUI NHON AT OR ABOUT 1700 FEET MSL. MIDWAY BETWEEN PHU CAT AND QUI NHON THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED A SUDDEN AND SEVERE VERTICAL VIBRATION WHICH MADE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DIFFICULT. THE PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION AND AT THIS TIME THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, MR. REGISTER TOOK THE CONTROLS AND CONTINUED THE AUTOROTATION WHILE THE PILOT, CPT BONACCORSI MADE AN EMERGENCY RADIO CALL. MR. REGISTER THEN ROLLED THE THROTTLE OFF AND THE VIBRATION DECREASED SOME. UPON TAKING THE CONTROLS MR. REGISTER HAD PICKED A LARGE RICE PADDY TO LAND IN AND SINCE HE STILL HAD A GOOD ENGINE, HE ATTEMPTED TO ROLL ON POWER FOR A POWER ON LANDING. AGAIN THE VERTICAL VIBRATIONS BECAME EXCESSIVE SO HE ROLLED THE POWER BACK OFF. WHILE DOING THIS, MR. REGISTER HAD ALLOWED HIS AIRSPEED TO DROP AND REALIZED THAT HE WOULD BE SHORT OF HIS INTENDED LANDING SITE. HE APPLIED FORWARD DYDLIC TO REGAIN AIRSPEED, BUT AT THIS TIME IT WAS QUESTIONABLE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HE COULD CLEAR THE SMALL FENCE WHICH HAD NOW BECOME VISABLE RUNNING EAST AND WEST ACROSS THE PADDY. AN ATTEMPTED FLARE TO CLEAR THE OBSTACLE AGAIN CAUSED EXCESSIVE VERTICAL VIBRATIONS. WITH THE TAIL LOWERED FROM THE ATTEMPTED FLARE, THE SYNCHRONIZED ELEVATORS WERE NOW IN A POSITION TO BE CAUGHT ON THE FENCE POSTS. AS THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED THE FENCE LINE THE SYNCHRONIZED ELEVATORS WERE IMPALED ON THE POSTS AND AT THE SAME TIME THE AIRCRAFT CAME DOWN HARD ON THE FORWARD PORTION OF THE SKIDS. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST WITH NO FORWARD MOVEMENT, THE SYNCHRONIZED ELEVATORS STILL IMPALED UPON THE FENCE POSTS. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS BASICALLY INTACT FOR THE RIGHT AND LEFT SKIDS WHICH HAD BROKEN LOOSE. THIS ALLOWED FOR INSPECTION OF THE WHOLE AIRCRAFT AND DID NOT REQUIRE ANY PIECING TOGETHER OF IT IN ORDER TO TRY AND DETERMINE A CAUSE. ALSO THE QUESTIONING OF THE CREW PROVIDED AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED DURING FLIGHT AND THE IMPACTING OF THE AIRCRAFT ACROSS THE FENCE LINE AND INTO THE RICE PADDY. THE CG OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN LIMITS.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17320
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 0368.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6803 25 25 2068 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6804 59 84 2068 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6805 54 138 2068 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6806 0 138 2068 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6807 0 138 2068 OPM SEA NITEOPS 1ST ARMY FORT BELVOIR AMC 6808 43 181 3205 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6809 0 181 3205 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6810 0 181 3205 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6811 0 181 WADPT0 UNIT NOT KNOWN VIETNAM RVN 6812 35 216 WADPD0 D TRP 2SQ1CV4IN VIETNAM RVN 6901 21 237 WADPD0 D TRP 2SQ1CV4IN VIETNAM RVN 6902 0 237 3205 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6903 0 237 3205 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6904 32 269 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 6905 0 269 WC5EAA 608 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 6906 5 274 WAJ1A0 A CO 4 AVN BN VIETNAM RVN 6907 63 337 WAJ1A0 A CO 4 AVN BN VIETNAM RVN 6908 101 438 WAJ1A0 A CO 4 AVN BN VIETNAM RVN 6909 67 505 WAJ1A0 A CO 4 AVN BN VIETNAM RVN 6910 38 543 WAKTE0 E-704 MTN 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 6911 53 596 WAKTE0 E-704 MTN 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 6912 47 643 WAKTE0 E-704 MTN 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7001 35 678 WAKTE0 E-704 MTN 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7002 39 717 WAKTE0 E-704 MTN 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7003 30 747 WAKTE0 E-704 MTN 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7004 14 761 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7005 0 761 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7006 0 761 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 7007 0 761 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7008 0 761 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7009 0 761 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7010 0 761 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7011 0 761 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7012 0 761 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7101 0 761 NAT&GUARD NAT GDZI 7102 0 761 NAT&GUARD NAT GDZI 7103 0 761 W2WJAA BEL HEL BAILMENT FT WORTH AVSCOM 7104 0 761 W2WJAA BEL HEL BAILMENT FT WORTH 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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