Accident Summary:
THE MISSIONS FOR 14 NOVEMBER 1971 WERE RECEIVED BY THE 135TH ASSAULT HELICOPTER COMPANY OPERATIONS AT 1830 HOURS 13 NOVEMBER 1971. THESE INCLUDED A 1-4-2 COMBAT ASSAULT PACKAGE. THE PILOTS WERE AWAKENED AT 0545 HOURS 14 NOVEMBER 1971, CONDUCTED A NORMAL PREFLIGHT AND PULLED PITCH AT 0740 HOURS. THE OPERATION CONSISTED OF PICK UPS AND ASSAULTS OF A ROUTINE NATURE INTO OPEN LANDING AREAS. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, 17 FORMATION APPROACHES HAD BEEN MADE BY THE FLIGHT, TWO OF WHICH WERE EXCESSIVELY FAST RESULTING IN STEEP DECELERATIONS BY CHALK TWO. CHALK TWO WAS UH1H AIRCRAFT NUMBER 69-15374 WITH WO1 JOSEPH W. CACIC AS PILOT-IN-CHARGE, WO1 ALLEN J. HILL, AS PILOT, SP4 RICARDO A. SANCHEZ AS CREW CHIEF AND SP4 GERALD L. INMAN AS DOOR GUNNER. AT 1245 HOURS 14 NOVEMBER 1971 AT COORDINATES XS 462 935 THE FLIGHT WAS LANDING IN A PICK UP ZONE WHEN CHALK TWO, WITH WO1 HILL AT THE CONTROLS, MADE AN EXCESSIVELY STEEP DECELERATION IN ORDER TO TERMINATE AT THE LOAD OF TROOPS. THE WHITE TAIL ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE WATER IN THE PICK UP ZONE. THE BLADE GRIP CRACKED AND SEPARATED THE BLADE AND GRIP FROM THE 90 DEGREE GEAR BOX. THE RESULTING OUT OF BALANCE CONDITION TORE THE 90 DEGREE GEAR BOX AND THE HARD POINT FROM THE VERTICAL FIN. THE LOSS OF ANTI-TORQUE CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO SWING TO THE RIGHT. WO1 CACIC, THE PILOT-IN-CHARGE, APPLIED DOWN COLLECTIVE. AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE WATER AND FATALLY INJURED THREE ARVN SOLDIERS AS THEY APPROACHED THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE RIGHT SIDE FOR BOARDING. THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED A 220 DEGREE TURN TO THE RIGHT AND SETTLED UPRIGHT IN THREE FEET OF WATER. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS ON BOARD AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ALL FOUR CREW MEMBERS SURVIVED WITH MINOR EXTERNAL INJURIES. THREE CREWMEMBERS EXITED THE WRECKAGE WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. WO1 HILL, IN THE RIGHT PILOTS SEAT, WAS HAMPERED IN HIS EGRESS WHEN THE RIGHT REAR DOOR PONT WAS BENT IN, RESTRICTING THE REARWARD MOVEMENT OF THE SLIDING ARMOR PLATE. THE RADIOS, WEAPONS AND LOG BOOK WERE REMOVED BY THE CREW. THE CREW AND EQUIPMENT WERE FLOWN TO DI AN ABOARD THE CHALK THREE AIRCRAFT.\\
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number
69-15374
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 0570.
Please provide any additional information on this
helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 7005 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 7006 28 28 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7007 188 216 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7008 142 358 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7009 116 474 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7010 68 542 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7011 62 604 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7012 95 699 WC08AA 135 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7101 86 785 WC08AA 135 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7102 60 845 WC08AA 135 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7103 51 896 WC08AA 135 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7104 117 1013 WC08AA 135 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7105 82 1095 WC08AA 135 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7106 71 1166 WC08AA 135 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7107 80 1246 WC08AA 135 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7108 83 1329 WC08AA 135 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7109 24 1353 WC08AA 135 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7110 68 1421 WC08AA 135 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law
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