AT 0715 HOURS 21 SEPT 70, WO1 RAUL CAMPOS, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, AND HIS CREW DEPARTED BIEN HOA FOR THE 18TH ARVN DIVISION BASE CAMP AT TAY NINH CITY, RVN. THEIR MISSION WAS IN SUPPORT OF THE 18TH ARVN DIV COMMANDER. THE DAYS MISSION WAS ROUTINE AND NO PROBLEMS WERE ENCOUNTERED. WO1 CAMPOS HAD FLOWN THIS SAME MISSION MANY TIMES BEFORE. THEY WERE RELEASED FROM THE MISSION AT 1445 HOURS AFTER ACCUMULATING A TOTAL OF THREE HOURS AND 45 MINUTES FLYING TIME FOR THE DAY. THEY DEPARTED TAY NYNH, CLIMBED TO 2,000 FEET AND HEADED SOUTH. THEY WERE FLYING TO THE EAST OF HIGHWAY 22 AS THE ARTILLERY ADVISOR HAD RECOMMENDED THAT ROUTE OF FLIGHT. AS SOON AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS ESTABLISHED AT 2,000 FEET THE PILOTS BEGAN PREFORMING A DER CHECK. 2LT TRIEU WAS FLYING THE SHIP. THE TORQUE METER WAS READING 30 LBS OF TORQUE AND THE AIRSPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 100 KNOTS, WHEN A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WO1 CAMPOS IMMEDIATELY PUSHED THE COLLECTIVE PITCH TO THE FULL BOTTOM POSITION AND SIMMULTANEOUSLY TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. WO1 CAMPOS ESTABLISHED AN AUTOROTATIVE GLIDE OF 80 KNOTS AND SELECTED A TOUCHDOWN AREA STRAIGHT AHEAD; HE READ THE GAS PRODUCER, IT WAS READING 0%. HE MADE A EMERGENCY RADIO CALL OVER GUARD AND ALSO OVER HIS COMPANY OPERATIONS RADIO. AT AN ALTITUDE OF 300 TO 500 FEET AGL HE REALIZED HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE AREA HE HAD ORIGINALLY SELECTED. AS A RESULT HE MADE A LEFT 90 DEGREE TURN WHICH SET HIM UP FOR A LARGE OPEN FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLARED AT 100 FEET AND COLLECTIVE PITCH WAS INITIALLY PULLED AT 25 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND IN SLIGHTLY NOSE HIGH AND LEFT ATTITUDE. THE LANDING WAS EXTREMELY HARD, THE AIRCRAFT SLID 15 FEET, PITCHED UP SLIGHTLY ON ITS NOSE CAUSING ONE BLADE TO MAKE VERY SLIGHT CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE SHIP THEN ROCKED BACK, REMAINING UPRIGHT. THE CREW IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER AND CREW CHIEF REMAINED WITH THE SHIP UNTIL ITS EVACUATION. THE CO-PILOT AND GUNNER WERE TAKEN BACK TO BIEN HOA SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-16430
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 1169.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 196911 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 196912 128 128 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197001 131 259 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197002 90 349 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197003 125 474 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197004 93 567 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197005 77 644 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197006 144 788 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197007 103 891 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197008 90 981 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197009 87 1068 WC3FAA 68 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 197010 0 1068 W0Y6AA USA FLT OPN OFC 5TH ARMY ST LOUIS AMC 197011 0 1068 W0Y6AA USA FLT OPN OFC 5TH ARMY ST LOUIS AMC 197012 0 1068 W0Y6AA USA FLT OPN OFC 5TH ARMY ST LOUIS AMC 197101 3 1071 NAT&GUARD NAT GDZI 197102 0 1071 WHB1AA 166 TRANS CO 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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