Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-17088
The Army purchased this helicopter 1169
Total flight hours at this point: 00000075
Date: 04/21/70
Accident case number: 700421231
Unit: 114 AHC
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 139197
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
P O2 WD MCGILL
CP W1 RC EDGE
Accident Summary:
AT APPROXIMATELY 1830 HOURS, COBRA 38 LEFT VINH LONG, DESTINATION YRBM-20, LOCATED IN THE RIVER NEAR CHAU DUC. ITS CREW CONSISTED OF 1LT MCGILL AS PILOT AND WO1 EDGE AS CO-PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT ARRIVED AT YRBM'S LOCATION AT APPROXIMATELY 1900 HOURS AND CIRCLED UNTIL ITS FUEL LEVEL WAS BELOW 1000 LBS. LT JG THOMAS BERRY, THE COMMAND DUTY OFFICER, THEN GAVE COBRA 38 A GREEN DECK FOR LANDING WHICH MEANT THE YRBM HAD BEEN MANEUVERED INTO A POSITION WHICH GAVE COBRA 38 A 10 TO 15 KNOT HEADWIND FOR LANDING. COBRA 38 MADE WHAT APPEARED TO BA A NORMAL APPROACH. THE FRONT PORTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WASSPSITIONED OVER THE FLIGHT DECK AND THE PILOT WAS ADDING THE REQUIRED POWER FOR LANDING WHEN THE ENGINE RPM SUDDENLY STARTED DECREASING. THE PILOT BROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT TO A MOMENTARY HOVER IN HOPES OF REGAINING RPM, BUT THE RPM WAS SO LOW THAT HE RAN OUT OF DIRECTIONAL PEDAL CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A 360 DEGREE TURN OVER THE FLIGHT DECK. UPON COMPLETION OF THE TURN, THE PILOT REASONED IT WOULD BE SAFER TO REMOVE THE AIRCRAFT FROM ABOVE THE FLIGHT DECK AND REGAIN RPM OVER THE WATER. ALSO, THE DANGER OF A CRASH WOULD BE LESS HAZARDOUS OVER WATER THAN ON THE FLIGHT DECK. THE PILOT THEN APPLIED RIGHT CYCLIC, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO MOVE OFF THE FLIGHT DECK SIDEWAYS, THEN INTO A FORWARD DIVE. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED SPINNING AND COMPLETED TWO 360 DEGREE TURNS OVER THE WATER, CONTINUING TO LOSE RPM. THE AIRCRAFT THEN HIT THE WATER, RIGHT SKID FIRST. AS THE SKID HIT THE WATER, THE PILOT ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE AND APPLIED RIGHT CYCLIC CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE TO STRIKE THE WATER AND STOP. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SANK ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE, AND THE CO-PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT TRIED PULLING HIS EMERGENCY EXIT HANDLE, BUT THE CANOPY WOULD NOT BREAK AWAY. THE CO-PILOT NOTICING THIS, RETURNED TO HIS SEAT, REMOVED HIS BREAKOUT KNIFE, AND CUT OUT THE PLEXIGLAS ON THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT SIDE. THE CO-PILOT HELPED THE PILOT OUT OF HIS COCKPIT AND THEY WERE PICKED UP BY A NAVY RESCUE BOAT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SUBMERGED.\\
The following is Goldbook
information on US Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 68-17088
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 6911 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 6912 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 7001 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 7002 0 0 W0Y6AA OS TO CONUS ITR CONUS AVCOMITR 7003 1 1 WHB1AA 166 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7004 74 75 WCLUAA 611 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 7005 0 75 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 7006 0 75 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 7007 0 75 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 7008 8 83 W2WJAA BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 7009 20 103 WG1RAA 361 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7010 67 170 WG1RAA 361 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7011 58 228 WG1RAA 361 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7012 38 266 WG1RAA 361 AVN CO VIETNAM RVN 7101 99 365 WG1RAA 361 AHC VIETNAM RVN 7102 97 462 WAZNC0 7 17 AC SQ C TP VIETNAM RVN 7103 90 552 WAZNC0 7 17 AC SQ C TP VIETNAM RVN 7104 33 585 WAZNC0 7 17 AC SQ C TP VIETNAM RVN 7105 0 585 WAZNC0 7 17 AC SQ C TP VIETNAM RVN 7106 19 604 WAZNC0 7 17 AC SQ C TP VIETNAM RVN 7107 28 632 WAZNC0 7 17 CAV C TRP VIETNAM RVN 7108 24 656 WAZNC0 7 17 CAV C TRP VIETNAM RVN 7109 29 685 WAZNC0 7 17 CAV C TRP VIETNAM RVN 7110 57 742 WAZNC0 7 17 CAV C TRP VIETNAM RVN 7111 41 783 WAZNC0 7 17 CAV C TRP VIETNAM RVN 7112 5 788 WAZNC0 7 17 CAV C TRP VIETNAM RVN 7201 85 873 WAZNC0 7 17 CAV C TRP VIETNAM RVN 7202 30 903 WAZNC0 7 17 CAV C TRP VIETNAM RVN 7203 41 944 WAZNC0 7 17 CAV C TRP VIETNAM RVN 7204 34 978 WAZNC0 7 17 CAV C TRP VIETNAM RVN 7205 100 1078 WAZNC0 7 17 CAV C TRP VIETNAM RVN 7206 36 1114 WAZNC0 7 17 CAV C TRP VIETNAM RVN 7207 47 1161 WAZNC0 H TRP AIR 10 AR VIETNAM RVN 7208 26 1187 WHNFAA H TRP AIR 10 AR VIETNAM RVN 7209 94 1281 WHNFAA 604TH TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7210 20 1301 WHNFAA 604TH TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7211 49 1350 WHNFAA 604TH TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 7212 0 1350 WHNFAA H TRP AIR 10 AR VIETNAM RVN 7301 0 1350 WHNFAA H TRP AIR 10 AR VIETNAM RVN 7302 0 1350 W0Y6AA AVSCOM PROJECT LOAN ST LOUIS AVSCOM 7303 0 1350 W0Y6AA AVSCOM PROJECT LOAN ST LOUIS AVSCOM 7304 0 1350 W0Y6AA NASA LOAN LANGLY RSH CTR AVSCOM 7305 0 1350 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7306 0 1350 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7307 0 1350 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7308 0 1350 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7309 0 1350 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7310 0 1350 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7311 0 1350 W0MUAA SUPPLY DIV 5TH ARMY FORT SILL TRADOC 7312 0 1350 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7401 0 1350 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7402 3 1353 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN AVSCOM 7403 2 1355 W0MUAA SUPPLY DIV 5TH ARMY FORT KNOX TRADOC 7404 0 1355 W0VC4M SUPPLY DIV 5TH ARMY FT HOOD FORSCOM 7405 0 1355 W0VC4M SUPPLY DIV 5TH ARMY FT HOOD FORSCOM 7406 0 1355 W0VC4M 1ST CAV DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7410 12 1390 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7411 9 1399 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7412 15 1414 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7501 2 1416 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7502 4 1420 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7503 16 1436 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7504 3 1439 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7505 0 1439 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7506 18 1457 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7507 16 1473 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7508 22 1495 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7509 13 1508 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7510 8 1516 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7511 3 1519 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM 7512 9 1528 WADQAA 2ND ARMD DIV 5TH ARMY FORT HOOD FORSCOM
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