Historical Data Display for Aircraft 66-00989

Model: UH-1D
Date Purchased: Nov 1966
Service with Rattlers & Firebirds: From Mar 1967 To Jun 1968
Flight Hours: Beginning 62 / Ending 2,026 -> Hours Flown: 1,964

Aircraft Accident/Incident History

Date: 22 Nov 1967
Description:
Total flight hours at this point: 986
Unit: 71 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Air/land Assault , Hot Area.
Unknown this helicopter was on Take-Off at 0200 feet and 060 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Main Rotor Blade System
Systems damaged were: MAIN ROTOR SYS
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: UH1P2, 74121 ()

Date: 26 Nov 1967
Description:
Total flight hours at this point: 986
Unit: 71 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Air/land Assault , Hot Area.
While on Landing Zone this helicopter was on the Ground at 0000 feet and 000 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Tail Section
Systems damaged were: UNK
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: UH1P2, 74153 ()

Date: 27 Mar 1970
Description:
Total flight hours at this point: 3,905
Unit: 121 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Air/land Assault , Hot Area.
While on Landing Zone this helicopter was on Take-Off at 0002 feet and 000 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Explosive Weapon; Non-Artillery launched or static weapons containing explosive charges.
Systems damaged were: TAIL ROTOR, GEAR BOX, STRUCTURE
The helicopter made an Emergency Landing. Aircraft is later recovered by any means other than its own power.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: LNNF, CRAFX, FM385, JSIDR (Lindenmuth New Format Data Base. Joint Services Incident Damage Report. Crash Facts Message.)

Date: 05 Jul 1970
Description:
Total flight hours at this point: 4,117
Accident case number: 700705081
Unit: 121 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Soc Trang in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 2
costing 105152
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
P W1 FINK JR
CP W1 MERIWETHER JD
CE E5 EISEN J
G E3 DENTON DL

Passengers:
, MS, G; , LCO, G;


Accident Summary:

The aircraft was returning from Vung Tau on an administration mission, at 1500' MSL at 90-100 knots. Moments after applying power to gain some speed to avoid some rainshowers in the area, the pilot heard a loud bang, the aircraft yawed to the left, engine instruments went to zero, main rotor RPM was low, approximately 250 rpm. The pilot, WO1 Fink, then bottomed collective, nosed the aircraft over to gain airspeed, flared, main rotor RPM built back up a little. WO1 Fink then repeated the same maneuver again and RPM built up to 290-300 rpm. WO1 Fink made a slight turn to the left to miss a village and to make a large open field. After WO1 Fink's second flare he held 90 to 95 knots airspeed until he was about 100' above ground. At 100' he entered a big flare to bleed off his airspeed and to try to build main rotor RPM. The main rotor rpm did not build at this stage, and when WO1 Fink pulled initial pitch he still only had about 290 rpm. When Mr. Fink hit the ground he still had forward airspeed, enough for him to slide approximately 50 feet, pictures tab 9 numbers 1 and 3. After the aircraft was on the ground the cyclic went out of control and as the aircraft stopped, WO1 Fink noticed that the aft section of the tail boom, was 40 to 50 feet to the right, and that the main rotor blade was inverted. Everyone got out of the aircraft without injuries and there was no fire. WO1 Fink got back on the radio and repeated his may day calls that he had gotten off after the engine failed. When the crew was picked up, they stripped the aircraft. When the recovery crew went out to the aircraft, there were no measurements made.

Aircraft Assignment History