Helicopter AH-1G 67-15648

Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15648
The Army purchased this helicopter 0668
Total flight hours at this point: 00000455
Date: 07/24/1970
Unit: 235 AVN
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Close Air Support
While On Target this helicopter was Attacking at 0050 feet and 000 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 5 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, STRUCTURE, TAIL ROTOR
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft was diverted prior to accomplishing any mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: JSIDR (Joint Services Incident Damage Report. )


Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15648
The Army purchased this helicopter 0668
Total flight hours at this point: 00000641
Date: 10/22/1970
Unit: 235 AVN
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Close Air Support
While On Target this helicopter was Attacking at 0200 feet and 115 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: STRUCTURE
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: JSIDR (Joint Services Incident Damage Report. )


Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15648
The Army purchased this helicopter 0668
Total flight hours at this point: 00000720
Date: 12/07/1970
Unit: 388 TC CO
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO THEATER
This was an Unknown mission
Unknown this helicopter was Unknown at UNK feet and UNK knots.
South Vietnam
causing a Fire.
Systems damaged were: ENGINE
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: FM385 ()


Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15648
The Army purchased this helicopter 0668
Total flight hours at this point: 00001425
Date: 07/20/1972
Unit: F/8 CAV
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: BT040726
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory


Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15648
The Army purchased this helicopter 0668
Total flight hours at this point: 00001425
Date: 07/20/1972
Accident case number: 720720041
Unit: F/8 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Marble Mountain in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 122624
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
P W2 WILLIAMSON JA
IP W2 WHITFORD RP

Accident Summary:

. DESCRIPTION OF THE MISHAP: (ABRIDGED) ON ^JULY 20, 1972^, ^CW2 JOHN A. WILLIAMSON^ FROM ^F TROOP 8TH CAVALRY^ WAS SCHEDULED TO TAKE AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S CHECKRIDE TO BE ADMINISTERED BY ^CW2 ROBERT P. WHITFORD^, A STANDARDIZATION INSTRUCTOR PILOT ASSIGNED TO ^D TROOP, 17TH CAVALRY^. ^MR. WHITFORD^ DEMONSTRATED A 180 DEGREE AUTOROTATION, TERMINATION TO A HOVER. BOTH PILOTS STATED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE MANEUVER. ^MR. WILLIAMSON^ THEN TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND CLIMBED TO 500 FEET FOR A DOWNWIND ENTRY FOR THE MANEUVER. ^MR. WILLIAMSON^ ENTERED THE MANEUVER AT 500 FEET AND 90 TO 100 KNOTS. PILOTS STATEMENTS INDICZTE THEY BELIEVED THE WIND TO BE 240 AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS WHEN ACTUALLY ^MARBLE^ TOWER WAS GIVING WINDS AT 240-250 DEGREES WITH WINDS VARYING FROM 10 TO 23 KNOTS. ^MR. WILLIAMSON^ RETARDED THE THROTTLE, LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE, AND ENTERED AUTOROTATION. AS ^MR. WILLIAMSON^ BEGAN THE TURN HE VERBALLY INDICATED THAT THE ROTOR RPM HAD BEGUN TO BUILD. ^MR. WHITFORD^ ALSO MADE REFERENCE TO THE HIGH ROTOR CONDITION AND ^MR. WILLIAMSON^ INCREASED THE COLLECTIVE IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE BUILDING ROTOR. DURING THIS TIME A SLIGHTLY NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE HAD EVOLVED CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT SINK RATE TO INCREASE. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED THROUGH THE TURN, ^MR. WILLIAMSON^ CORRECTED FOR THE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE BUT FAILED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE DECAYING ROTOR RPM BY NOT LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE. WHEN THE ROTOR RPM HAD DECAYED TO APPROXIMATELY 280 RPM (NORMAL OPERATING RANGE IS 294 TO 324 RPM) ^MR. WHITFORD^ MENTIONED TO ^MR. WILLIAMSON^ THAT THE ROTOR RPM WAS LOW AND THAT THEY WERE OVER-SHOOTING THE LANE. ^MR. WHITFORD^ THEN TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL WITH ^MR. WILLIAMSON^ RIDING LIGHTLY ON THE CONTROLS. BOTH PILOTS HAD BEGUN TO ADVANCE THE THROTTLE AT THE SAME TIME. THE AIRCRAFT'S HIGH RATE OF DESCENT COUPLED WITH MIS-ALIGNMENT WITH THE 24 RUNWAY REQUIRED ^MR. WHITFORD^ TO FURTHER APPLY PITCH TO EXTEND THE GLIDE SLOPE TO AN ADEQUATE TOUCHDOWN POINT. THIS CAUSED FURTHER DECAY IN THE ROTOR RPM. AS THE AIRCRAFT BECAME ALIGNED WITH THE EDGE OF THE LANE FULL COLLECTIVE PITCH WAS APPLIED TO SLOW THE DESCENT. THE PITCH BECAME TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE AT 3 TO 5 FEET. IN AN EFFORT TO EXTEND THE GLIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT NO EFFECTIVE DECELERATION WAS ACCOMLISHED. WITH NO REMAINING LIFT FROM THE ROTOR SYSTEM THE AIRCRAFT FELL FROM 3-5 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A SLIGHTLY TAIL LOW POSTURE ON THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE 24 ACTIVE. INITIAL IMPACT WAS ON THE SKID HEELS. THE FORWARD MOMENTUM, APPROXIMATELY 35 KNOTS, CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROTATE TO A LEVEL ATTITUDE AND BOUNCE BACK INTO THE AIR. THE INITIAL IMPACT CAUSED THE RED MAIN ROTOR BLADE TO FLEX DOWN AND SEVER THE TAIL BOOM AT APPROXIMATELY STATION ^460^. WITH LOSS OF ANTI-TORQUE CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN ROTATING SLOWLY TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO ROTATE 95 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT WHILE SLIDING 129 FEET DOWN THE 24 RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON A HEADING OF 335 DEGREES AND THE CREW SECURED THE STILL OPERATING ENGINE AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE. NO INJURIED WERE INCURRED.\\


The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 67-15648
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 0668.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6806   1    1 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD        AVCOM        
6807   0    1 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN TRANSIT SHARPE AD        AVCOM        
6808   5    6 WG20AA F TRP 8CAV AMDV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6809  64   70 WG20AA F TRP 8CAV AMDV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6810   0   70 WG20AA F TRP 8CAV AMDV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6811   0   70 WG20AA F TRP 8CAV AMDV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6812  19   89 WG20AA F TRP 8CAV AMDV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6901  52  141 WG20AA F TRP 8CAV AMDV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6902  36  177 WG20AA F TRP 8CAV AMDV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6903   0  177 WE4HAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN     
6904   0  177 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM        
6905   0  177 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM        
6906   0  177 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
6907   0  177 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
6908   0  177 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
6909   0  177 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
6910   0  191 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM        
6911   2  193 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN STORAGE SHARPE AD        AVCOM          
6912   0  193 W0MHAA DIR SUP / TRAN   IN STORAGE SHARPE AD        AVCOM          
7001  20  213 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7002  53  266 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7003   0  266 WCLUAA 611 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7004   0  266 WCLUAA 611 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7005  52  318 WDX6AA 235 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7006  68  386 WDX6AA 235 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7007  69  455 WDX6AA 235 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7008  35  490 WDX6AA 235 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7009  89  579 WDX6AA 235 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7010  62  641 WDX6AA 235 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7011  67  708 WDX6AA 235 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
7012  12  720 WCLSAA 388 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     
7101   0  720 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM       
7102   0  720 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM       
7103   0  720 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM       
7104   0  720 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM       
7105   4  724 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM       
7106  31  755        108TH DIV TNG    3RD ARMY   CHARLOTTE        RESV     
7107  86  841 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7108  70  911 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7109  54  965 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7110  50 1015 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7111  59 1074 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7112  37 1111 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7201  75 1186 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7202  26 1212 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7203  72 1284 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7204  29 1313 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7205  38 1351 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7206  37 1388 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7207  37 1425 WG20AA 8 CAV F TRP      VIETNAM                     RVN     
7208   0 1425 WE4HAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7209   0 1425 WE4HAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7210   0 1425 WE4HAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7211   0 1425 WE4HAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7212   0 1425 WE4HAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7301   0 1425 WE4HAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7302   0 1425 WFAMAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7303   0 1425 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM        
7304   0 1425 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM        
7305   0 1425 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM        
7306   2 1427 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM        
7307   2 1429 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM        
7308   0 1429 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM        
7309   7 1436 W0UX4B SUPPLY DIV       5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        TRADOC       
7310   0 1436 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  1ST ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM          
7311   0 1436 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  1ST ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM          
7312   0 1436 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FT KNOX          FORSCOM         
7401   0 1436 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FT KNOX          FORSCOM         
7402   0 1436 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FT KNOX          FORSCOM         
7403   1 1437 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FT KNOX          FORSCOM         
7404   1 1438 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FT KNOX          FORSCOM         
7405   5 1443 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FT KNOX          FORSCOM         
7406   0 1443 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FT KNOX          FORSCOM         
7410   0 1445 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FT KNOX          FORSCOM         
7411   0 1445 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM          
7412   0 1445 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM          
7501   0 1445 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM          
7502   7 1452 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM          
7503   3 1455 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM          
7504  10 1465 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM           
7505   6 1471 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM          
7506  19 1490 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM           
7507  12 1502 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM           
7508   9 1511 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM          
7509   6 1517 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM          
7510   4 1521 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM          
7511  15 1536 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM           
7512   1 1537 WDX6AA 235TH ASL HELCO  5TH ARMY   FORT KNOX        FORSCOM          


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