Helicopter UH-1H 68-15568
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail
number 68-15568
The Army purchased this helicopter 0469
Total flight hours
at this point: 00002032
Date: 04/04/71
Incident number: 710404021ACD
Accident case number: 710404021 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 135
AHC
The station for this helicopter was Dong Tam in South Vietnam
Number
killed in accident = 13 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 10
costing
395145
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:
AC 1LT LAPLANTE NOEL CHARLES KIA
P WO1
KNIGHT TERRY VASCAL KIA
CE SP4 REYNOLDS HARVEY MICHAEL KIA
G SGT STEPPEE
LARRY ELMER KIA
Passengers:
, CET, G; , PAX, A; , PAX, A; , PAX, A; ,
PAX, A; , PAX, A; , PAX, A; , PAX, A; , PAX, A; , PAX, A;
Accident Summary:
AIRCRAFT ^68-15568^ WAS ENGAGED IN A COMBAT OPERATION OF THE ^135TH ASSAULT
HELICOPTER COMPANY^ AND FLYING IN THE TRAIL SHIP POSITION IN A FLIGHT OF FOUR
UH-1H AIRCRAFT. THE FLIGHT HAD COMPLETED TWO LIFTS AND HAD PICKED UP THEIR
TROOPS FOR THE THIRD LIFT. THE FLIGHT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF JOINING IN A DIAMOND
FORMATION WHEN THE TRAIL SHIP WAS HEARD TO SAY "LEAD, YOU'RE SCATTERED." THIS
WAS THE LAST TRANSMISSION HEARD FROM THE TRAIL AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FIRST
NOTICED AS MISSING WHEN THE COMMAND AND CONTROL AIRCRAFT QUESTIONED THE LEAD
AIRCRAFT CONCERNING THE NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT INHIS FLIGHT. AT THIS POINT CHALK 3
OF THE FLIGHT BROKE OFF TO LOOK FOR THE TRAIL AIRCRAFT AND THE REMAINING TWO
AIRCRAFT IN THE FLIGHT STAYED TOGETHER TO ASSIST IN THE SEARCH. THE COMMAND AND
CONTROL AIRCRAFT ALSO ASSISTED AND WAS THE FIRST SHIP TO DISCOVER THE ACCIDENT
SITE. NO MEMBER OF THE FLIGHT WITNESSED THE AIRCRAFT DEPART THE FLIGHT OR CRASH.
THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE WITH THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE
AIRCRAFT STRIKING FIRST. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF SKIDDING. THE TAIL BOOM OF
THE AIRCRAFT SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN FUSELAGE BEFORE STRIKING THE GROUND ANDWAS
FOUND APPROXIMATELY 100 METERS FROM THE MAIN FUSELAGE. THETAIL ROTOR WAS STILL
ATTACHED TO THE TAIL BOOM BY THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE CHAIN. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES
AND HUB ASSEMBLY WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 50 METERS TO THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE
MAIN FUSELAGE AND ALSO SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT. THE ENGINE WAS
FOUND APPROXIMATELY 100 METERS TO THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND HAD ALSO
SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT.\\
This record was last updated on 09/20/98
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: WO1 Terry Vascal Knight
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on
04/04/71 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 20.7
Date of
Birth: 07/23/50
Home City: Houston, TX
Service: AV branch of the reserve
component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 135 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation
Brigade
Flight class: 70-27/70-25
Service: AV branch of the U.S.
Army.
The Wall location: 04W-106
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number
68-15568
SSN: 457829615
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100B =
Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Major attributing cause: aircraft
connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknown or not reported
Vehicle
involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership:
government
Started Tour: 10/13/70
"Official" listing: helicopter air
casualty - pilot
The initial status of this person was: no previous
report
Length of service: *
Location: Vinh Binh Province IV
Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: XR163900
Reason: aircraft lost
or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male
U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Church of Christ
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: 1LT Noel Charles LaPlante
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on
04/04/71 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death:
24.3
Date of Birth: 12/25/46
Home City: Toledo, OH
Service: IN branch
of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 135 AHC
Major
organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 70-22
Service: IN branch
of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 04W-106
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number
68-15568
SSN: 302427715
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary
Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Compliment cause: unknown or not
reported
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft
commander
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour:
09/08/70
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The
initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service:
*
Location: Vinh Binh Province IV Corps.
Military grid coordinates of
event: XR163900
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: officer
This record was last updated on 07/29/95
Name: SP4 Harvey Michael Reynolds
Status: Killed In Action from an incident
on 04/04/71 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death:
19.6
Date of Birth: 08/13/51
Home City: Cincinnati, OH
Service: regular
component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 135 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation
Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 04W-106
Aircraft: UH-1H
tail number 68-15568
SSN: 299485111
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N2F
= UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at
sea
Compliment cause: unknown or not reported
Vehicle involved:
helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Vehicle ownership:
government
Started Tour: 06/05/70
"Official" listing: helicopter air
casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous
report
Length of service: *
Location: Vinh Binh Province IV
Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: XR163900
Reason: aircraft lost
or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male
U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Protestant - no denominational
preference
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: enlisted
personnel
This record was last updated on 07/24/94
Name: SGT Larry Elmer Steppee (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In
Action from an incident on 04/04/71 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age
at death: 21.3
Date of Birth: 12/15/49
Home City: Cumberland City,
TN
Service: component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 135 AHC
Major
organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location:
04W-107
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15568
SSN: 408823659
Country:
South Vietnam
MOS: 76W20 = Petroleum Supply Specialist
Major attributing
cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknown or not
reported
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door
gunner
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 06/03/70
"Official"
listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this
person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Vinh Binh
Province IV Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: XR163900
Reason:
aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other
causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion:
Pentecostal
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: enlisted
personnel
This record was last updated on 07/28/94
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number
68-15568
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 0469.
Please provide any additional information on this
helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY
6904 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR
6905 0 0 3300 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC
6906 97 97 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6907 107 204 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6908 124 328 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6909 112 440 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6910 104 544 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6911 128 672 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6912 90 762 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7001 109 871 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7002 44 915 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7003 92 1007 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7004 107 1114 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7005 140 1254 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7006 140 1394 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7007 74 1468 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7008 62 1530 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7009 106 1636 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7010 35 1671 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7011 73 1744 WC7ZAA 155 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7012 41 1785 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN
7101 28 1813 WC08AA 135 AHC VIETNAM RVN
7102 108 1921 WC08AA 135 AHC VIETNAM RVN
7103 111 2032 WC08AA 135 AHC VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law
Printed from databases on: 08/27/00
Copyright © 1998, 1999 and 2000 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association