THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED WAS MAKING A THIRD SORTIE INTO THE SAME LZ. A SUCCESSFUL HOVER CHECK TO 25' WAS MADE AT THE PREVIOUS PZ WITH A FULL LOAD. UPON REACHING THE LZ ONE PASSENGER AND 9 WATER DANS WERE OFF-LOADED SO THAT THE LOAD WAS ACTUALLY LIGHTER WHEN THE TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED THAN WHEN THE HOVER CHECK WAS COMPLETED. AFTER OFF-LOADING THE CARGO, THE TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED WITH FOUR (4) U.S. TROOPS AND ONE (1) SCOUT DOG. THE PILOT PICKED UP THE AIRCRAFT AND IMMEDIATELY THE RPM BEGAN TO BLEED. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER THEN TOOK THE AIRCRAFT, TURNED IT AROUND 180 (TO THE DIRECTION OF THE DIRECTION OF THE PLANNED TAKEOFF) AND HOVERED AT ONE FOOT. AT THIS TIME THE RPM WAS STABLE SO THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER INITIATED THE TAKEOFF. THE DIRECTION OF TAKEOFF WAS DICTATED MAINLY BY THE TERRAIN. IT WAS THE ONLY DIRECTION THAT WAS SUITABLE FOR TAKEOFF SINCE THERE WERE HIGH TREES IN ALL OTHER DIRECTIONS THAT WOULD HAVE MADE A VERTICAL TAKEOFF NECESSARY. AT THE TIME OF THE TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER FELT THAT SMOKE IN THE AREA INDICATED THAT THE WIND WAS ALSO FAVORABLE TO A TAKEOFF IN THE CHOSEN DIRECTION, BUT THE HILLY TERRAIN COULD HAVE CAUSED UNFORSEEN GUSTY CONDITIONS UNFAVORABLE TO FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER INITIATED A MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE TAKEOFF AND ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS INTO THE TAKEOFF THE RPM WARNING (BOTH AUDIO AND VISUAL) CAME ON. THE RPM CONTINUED TO BLEED BELOW 6,000 RPM BUT THE CREW WAS BUSY PICKING A PLACE TO LAND AND DID NOT MONITOR HOW FAR IT BLED OFF. THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED A TREE LINE AND THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER MADE A SUCCESSFUL CYCLIC CLIMB OVER THIS TREE LINE AND SMALL HILL TO HIS FRONT. TRANSLATIONAL LIFT HAD NOT BEEN REACHED AT THIS TIME, SO UPON CLEARING THESE FIRST OBSTACLES, HE LOWERED THE NOSE IN AN ATTEMPT TO GAIN AIRSPEED. HOWEVER, THERE WAS ANOTHER TREE LINE TO THE IMMEDIATE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH TREES ABOUT 150-200 FEET IN HEIGHT AND IT BECAME EVIDENT TO THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER THAT HE WOULD NEITHER REACH TRANSLATIONAL LIFT IN TIME TO CLEAR THE TREES, NOR WOULD HE BE ABLE TO CLEAR THEM IN THE SAME MANNER AS HE DID THE FIRST TREE LINE. HE LEVELED THE AIRCRAFT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND SETTLED TOWARD THE GORGE. ABOUT 4 FEET FROM THE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER PULLED PITCH IN ORDER TO CUSHION THE LANDING AND SLOW THE ROTOR BLADES. AS THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO THE GROUND THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND (SINCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS SITTING LOW IN THE GORGE) AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS BENT FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 15. THE 90 GEAR BOX SEVERED DUE TO THE SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN AND HAD TO BE SHUT OFF BY MANUALLY DEPRESSING THE FLIGHT IDLE STOP. THERE WAS NO FIRE.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16182
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 0367.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 196703 0 0 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVCOM 196704 0 0 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN 6TH ARMY SHARPE GD AVCOM 196705 24 24 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196706 139 163 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196707 148 311 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196708 157 468 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196709 133 601 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196710 176 777 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196711 88 865 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196712 154 1019 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196801 131 1150 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196802 110 1260 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196803 89 1349 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196804 123 1472 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196805 102 1574 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196806 143 1717 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196807 118 1835 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196808 69 1904 WDYBAA 240 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196809 140 2044 WFELAA 162 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 196810 0 2044 W0MUAA ARADMAC 4TH ARMY NAVAL AIR STA AVCOM 196811 0 2044 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 196812 0 2044 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 196901 0 2044 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN TRANSIT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 196902 0 2044 8003 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 196903 0 2044 8003 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 196904 0 2044 8003 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 196905 0 2044 8003 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 196906 0 2044 8003 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 196907 0 2044 8003 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 196908 0 2044 8003 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 196909 0 2044 8003 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 196910 0 2044 8003 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 196911 0 2044 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 196912 0 2044 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 197001 68 2112 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197002 110 2222 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197003 81 2303 WFQ8AA 165 TC DS 34 GP VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870
Printed from databases on: 05/14/04
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