Helicopter UH-1C 66-15130

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-15130
The Army purchased this helicopter 0567
Total flight hours at this point: 00001021
Date: 03/21/69
Incident number: 690321321ACD Accident case number: 690321321 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 61 AHC
The station for this helicopter was English in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 4 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 510415
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:
P CPT BENICEWICZ RICHARD C KIA
P 1LT DALTON ROBERT ALAN KIA
CE SP5 SANTOS RENE ANTHONY KIA
G SP4 STOCK DALE LOUIS KIA

Passengers:
UNK UNK, MS, G;

Accident Summary:

HELICOPTER ^UH-1C, 66-15130^ WAS SCHEDULED AS AN ALERT AIRCRAFT FOR THE NIGHT OF ^21 MARCH 1969^. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN LOCATED AT THE ^CRAPTABLE (HELIPAD)^ AND READIED FOR THE MISSION. AT APPROXIMATELY ^1900^ HOURS A SCRAMBLE WAS CALLED. HELICOPTER ^UH-1C 66-15130^ WAS THE SECOND OF TWO AIRCRAFT THAT MADE UP A LIGHT FIRE TEAM. THE MISSION WAS TO SUPPORT ELEMENTS OF THE ^173RD AIRBORNE BRIGADE^ THAT HAD COME IN CONTACT. AFTER STARTING THE AIRCRAFT AND PREPARING THE AIRCRAFT FOR TAKE-OFF, THE LEAD SHIP CALLED ^#66-15130^ AND ASKED IF THEY WERE UP. THE CREW REPLIED BY RADIO TRANSMISSION THAT THERE WOULD BE A DELAY AS THE TRANSMISSION OIL PRESSURE WAS READING ZERO AND THEY COULD NOT GET THE LIGHT OFF, AND THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO GET IT CHECKED. NO MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WERE CALLED TO THE AIRCRAFT OR NOTIFIED OF THE CONDITIONS. APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES LATER ^66-15130^ HOVERED INTO TAKE-OFF POSITION. AFTER CALLING THE TOWER FOR INSTRUCTIONS, THE LEAD SHIP DEPARTED. THE SECOND AIRCRAFT, ^66-15130^, DEPARTED BEHIND THE LEAD SHIP. AFTER TAKE-OFF, ^66-15130^ FLEW FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS BEFORE CRASHING. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD WHAT SEEMED TO BE AN ENGINE OVER-REV, THEN A WHOOSHING SOUND AS THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE AND MAST SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. SOME WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BLEW UP IN FLIGHT. IT IS BELIEVED BY THIS BOARD THAT THEY SAW TE EXHAUST OF THE AIRCRAFT AS IT WAS FLYING SOUTH GOING AWAY FROM THE WITNESSES. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER MILE FROM THE HELIPAD. THE APPEARANCE OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SKIDS SCRAPED A DIKE AND THAT IT WAS IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE, LEANING ON ITS RIGHT SIDE WHEN IT HIT. IT ALSO APPEARED TO HAVE BURST INTO FLAMES UPON IMPACT. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND A PORTION OF THE MAST WERE FOUND APPROXIMATELY 300 METERS EAST OF THE AIRCRAFT.\\

This record was last updated on 09/20/98

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: CPT Richard C. Benicewicz (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/21/69 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 24.5
Date of Birth: 09/17/44
Home City: Danbury, CT
Service: IN branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 61 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 68-12/68-18
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 29W-096
Short Summary: Main rotor seizure and separation from aircraft departing LZ English with 1LT Robert A. Dalton (pilot).
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 66-15130
Call sign: Starblazers
Service number: O5340830
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Main Rotor Sep.
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknown or not reported
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 09/21/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 03
Location: Binh Dinh Province II Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Episcopal (Anglican)
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 07/29/94

Name: 1LT Robert Alan Dalton
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/21/69 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 22.0
Date of Birth: 03/06/47
Home City: Parma, OH
Service: FA branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 61 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 68-18
Service: FA branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 29W-097
Short Summary: Main rotor seizure and separation from aircraft departing LZ english with CPT Richard C. Benicewicz (aircraft commander)
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 66-15130
Call sign: Starblazers
Service number: O5429518
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Main Rotor Sep.
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknown or not reported
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: co-pilot
Started Tour: 12/14/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Binh Dinh Province II Corps.
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: officer
This record was last updated on 07/24/94

Name: SP5 Rene Anthony Santos
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/21/69 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 20.7
Date of Birth: 07/08/48
Home City: San Antonio, TX
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 61 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 28W-001
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 66-15130
Service number: 15956378
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
Started Tour: 11/11/67
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Binh Dinh Province II Corps.
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: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/24/94

Name: SP4 Dale Louis Stock
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/21/69 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 20.3
Date of Birth: 12/13/48
Home City: Adena, OH
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 61 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 28W-004
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 66-15130
Service number: 11721272
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67A1F = Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknown or not reported
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
Started Tour: 12/31/67
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Binh Dinh Province II Corps.
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: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/28/94

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-15130
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 0567.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6705   0    0 1647   ARMY AVN DIV     6TH ARMY   DUGWAY PG        TEVALCOM
6706  13   13 1776   USARV FLT DET    VIETNAM                     RVN
6707  26   39 1776   USARV FLT DET    VIETNAM                     RVN
6708  49   88 1776   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM
6709   2   90 1776   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM
6710   0   90 1776   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM
6711   0   90 3300   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
6712  46  136 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6801  47  183 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6802  70  253 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6803  57  310 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6804  79  389 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6805  44  433 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6806 119  552 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6807  82  634 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6808  71  705 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6809  39  744 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6810  61  805 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6811  48  853 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6812  66  919 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6901  32  951 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6902  14  965 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6903  56 1021 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN

Please send additions or corrections to:

VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law

Printed from databases on: 08/27/00