The aircraft took off from LZ English enroute to LZ Uplift with the pilot on the controls. It was carrying the normal crew of four. Approximately 3 miles north of LZ Uplift, over a small mountain range, the aircraft commander noticed the rotor RPM dropping. It was passing through 300 when he took the controls. He noted at the time the engine RPM was holding steady at 6600. He immediately entered autorotation, and, though he made a 270 autorotative turn during the approximately 1100 feet to the ground, and a positive flare, the rotor RPM continued to decay. He touched down, into the wind, in a rice paddy, heading 040 degrees, with under 240 RPM. He used all remaining pitch and managed to cushion the landing somewhat
This record was last updated on 04/14/99
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17371
The Army
purchased this helicopter 0368
Total flight hours at this point:
00002325
Date: 09/27/71
Incident number: 710927131ACD Accident case
number: 710927131 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 187 AHC
The
station for this helicopter was Di An in South Vietnam
Number killed in
accident = 4 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 455945
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 WO1 KARNEHM STEVEN DALE KIA
P CPT
KINTARO JOHN JULLIANO KIA
CE SP4 CAMPOS LUIS HECTOR KIA
G SGT KUDLACEK
EDWIN ALLEN INJ
Passengers:
O3 R GREENFIELD, FCO, G;
Accident Summary:
AT 1630 HOURS ON 27 SEPTEMBER 1971, A FLIGHT OF EIGHT (8) UH-1H HELICOPTERS LINED UP STAGGERED TRAIL (RIGHT) FOR A 270 DEGREE DEPARTURE FROM SONG BE AIRSTRIP. THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN RELEASED AT 1615 HOURS TO RETURN TO DI AN. THE COMMAND AND CONTROL SHIP HAD DEPARTED MINUTES BEFORE THE FLIGHT FOR THE EXPRESSED PURPOSE OF OBTAINING WEATHER INFORMATION, WHICH HE RELAYED TO THE LEAD AIRCRAFT. UPON DEPARTING, THE COMMAND AND CONTROL SHIP CALLED LEAD AND REPORTED 1000 FEET CEILING AND 1/2 TO 1 MILE VISIBILITY. LEAD ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS FOR TAKE OFF AND DEPARTED TURNING TO A 225 DEGREE HEADING. THE LEAD SHIP THEN ISSUED DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR INADVERTANT IFR BREAK-UP. APPROXIMATELY 1645, THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY FORCED THE LEAD SHIP DOWN TO 600 FEET INDICATED. IN THIS AREA THIS WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET AGL. JUST PRIOR TO THE CRASH, SEVERAL OF THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING DUE TO THE HEAVY RAIN AND POOR VISIBILITY. DURING THE PERIOD OF LIMITED VISIBILITY. DURING THE PERIOD OF LIMITED VISIBILITY, CHALK SIX WAS OBSERVED EXECUTING A STEEP RIGHT TURN FROM DIRECTLY BELOW CHALK FIVE. CHALK SIX WAS THEN OBSERVED AS IT STRUCK THE TREES WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE MAKING CONTACT FIRST. CHALK SIX MADE NO CALLS PRIOR TO THE STRIKE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BURST INTO FLAMES AS IT MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. A CALL WAS MADE TO THE LEAD AIRCRAFT FROM CHALK FIVE THAT AN AIRCRAFT HAD GONE DOWN. LEAD CALLED FOR A COUNT OF CHALKS AND RECEIVED SEVEN REPLYS INDICATING ALL THE AIRCRAFT WERE ACCOUNTED FOR. AFTER THE FLIGHT DETERMINED THAT ONE OF THE CHALKS HAD ANSWERED TWICE, LEAD SPLIT THE FLIGHT TO INITIATE A SEARCH. THE LEAD SHIP WITH CHALKS 2, 3, AND 4 CONTINUED TO DI AN, AS THEY HAD CLEARED THE BAD WEATHER. CHALKS 5, 7, AND 8 THEN BEGAN A SEARCH, BUT WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE DOWNED AIRCRAFT DUE TO WEATHER. CHALKS 5, 7, AND 8 THEN PROCEEDED TO PHUOC VINH TO WAIT FOR THE WEATHER TO CLEAR. AFTER APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR AND A HALF, THE WEATHER CLEARED AND THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND. ONE CREWMEMBER WAS OBSERVED STANDING NEAR THE WRECKAGE BUT THE HEIGHT OF THE TREES PREVENTED A LANDING. A MEDIVAC HELICOPTER HAD BEEN CONTACTED AND USING A JUNGLE PENETRATOR, RESCUED THE SURVIVOR APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AFTER THE CRASH. THE BODIES OF THE OTHER CREWMEMBERS WERE RECOVERED ON 28 SEPTEMBER. DUE TO RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WEATHER ON THE 28TH, THE RECOVERY TEAM WAS FORCED TO LEAVE THE CRASH SITE AND THE TACTICAL SITUATION PREVENTED FURTHER GROUND INSPECTION OR RECOVERY OF WRECKAGE PARTS.\\
This record was last updated on 09/20/98
The following is crew member information for this incident:
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number
67-17371
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 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 6804 45 45 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6805 103 148 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6806 81 229 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6807 105 334 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6808 95 429 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6809 97 526 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6810 53 579 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6811 0 579 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 6812 0 579 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6901 0 579 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN TRANSIT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6902 0 579 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6903 0 579 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6904 0 579 3300 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6905 68 647 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 6906 37 684 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 6907 100 784 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 6908 64 848 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 6909 62 910 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 6910 74 984 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 6911 61 1045 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 6912 61 1106 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 7001 82 1188 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 7002 50 1238 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 7003 61 1299 WAB0C0 C TP 2-17 101AB VIETNAM RVN 7004 27 1326 WE4HAA 142 TC DS VIETNAM RVN 7005 0 1326 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 7006 0 1326 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7007 0 1326 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7008 2 1328 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7009 1 1329 WHB1AA 166 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7010 104 1433 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7011 118 1551 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7012 133 1684 WDUTAA 187 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7101 101 1785 WDUTAA 187 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7102 101 1886 WDUTAA 187 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7103 92 1978 WDUTAA 187 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7104 69 2047 WDUTAA 187 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7105 49 2096 WDUTAA 187 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7106 88 2184 WDUTAA 187 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7107 47 2231 WDUTAA 187 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7108 50 2281 WDUTAA 187 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7109 44 2325 WDUTAA 187 AHC VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law
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