Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail
number 67-17148
The Army purchased this helicopter 0168
Total flight hours
at this point: 00002841
Date: 11/15/70
Incident number: 701115011ACD
Accident case number: 701115011 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 116
AHC
The station for this helicopter was Chu Lai in South Vietnam
Number
killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing
305145
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 W1 SHOBEL WA
P CPT SALMOND RICHARD
WILLIAM KIA
Passengers:
, FCO, G;
Accident Summary:
ON 15 NOVEMBER 1970, CPT SALMOND AND WO1 SHOBEL WERE THE PILOT AND AIRCRAFT
COMMANDER OF ARMY AIRCRAFT UH-1H, SN 67-17148. THIS AIRCRAFT AND THE NAMED CREW
ABOVE DEPARTED CHU LAI AS ONE OF EIGHT AIRCRAFT IN SUPPORT OF AN ELEMENT OF THE
5TH ARVN DIVISION, LOCATED WEST OF TAM KY, RVN. THE FLIGHT OF AIRCRAFT COMPLETED
SEVERAL LIFTS INTO AN AREA NEAR FIRE SUPPORT BASE WEST AND RETURNED TO HAWK HILL
TO REFUEL. AFTER REFUELING, THE LFIGHT WAS DIRECTED TO REPORT TO TAM KY
ALTERNATE AIRFIELD TO AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. THE AIGHT AIRCRAFT APPROACHED
TAM KY ALTERNATE AIRFIELD, ENTERING LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 04, IN A TRAIL
FORMATION. THE FINAL APPROACH WAS MADE AT AN AIRSPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 70-75
KNOTS. AT APPROXIMATELY MIDIFIELD, THE LEAD AIRCRAFT BEGAN HIS DECELERATION
FLARE FOR LANDING. AIRCRAFT 67-17148, WHICH WAS THE SEVENTH AIRCRAFT IN THE
FORMATION, WAS OVERTAKING THE AIRCRAFT IN FRONT OF IT AS THEY BEGAN THE INITIAL
FLARE. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER OF UH-1H, 67-17148, SEEING THAT HE WAS OVERTAKING
THE AIRCRAFT IN FRONT OF HIM, SLID HIS AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID A
COLLISION. AT THIS TIME, THE AIRCRAFT IN FRONT OF HIM INITIATED A FLARE AND THE
AIRCRAFT COMMANDER OF AIRCRAFT 67-17148 FLARED ALSO. THIS RESULTED IN A SEVERE
NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE, WHILE THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED SLIDING TO THE RIGHT.
MAINTAINING THIS NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND TAIL
STARTED TO SWING TO THE RIGHT. IN ORDER TO AVOID HITTING ANY OBSTACLES, THE
AIRCRAFT COMMANDER LEVELED THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO COME
TO A 25-50' HOVER, THE AIRCRAFT STILL VIBRATING. THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT
CONTINUED TO TURN TO THE RIGHT, APPROXIMATELY 120 TO THE DIRECTION OF LANDING.
THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT SWUNG SUDDENLY TO THE LEFT AND THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER
APPLIED LEFT PEDAL TO STOP THE TURN. THE APPLICATION OF LEFT PEDAL HAD NO
RESULTING EFFECT AND WO1 SHOBEL THOUGHT THERE WAS A TAIL ROTOR MALFUNCTION. HE
THEN ROLLED THE THROTTLE OFF IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE TURN AND THE AIRCRAFT
SETTLED TO THE GROUND IN A LEFT TAIL-LOW ATTITUDE. AT IMPACT, THE LEFT SKID
COLLAPSED, AND THE TAILBOOM WAS SEVERED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED
UPRIGHT, APPROXIMATELY 105 TO THE DIRECTION OF LANDING. SECONDS AFTER IMPACT,
A FIRE STARTED IN THE AFT SECTION OF THE FUSELAGE. THE CREWMEMBERS EXITED THE
AIRCRAFT UNINJURED. THE PILOT WAS STRUCK BY THE ROTOR BLADE AFTER EXITING THE
AIRCRAFT AND WAS EVACUATED TO CHU LAI HOSPITAL, WHERE HE EXPIRED DURING
EMERGENCY SURGERY.
This record was last updated on 09/20/98
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: CPT Richard William Salmond
Status: Killed In Action from an incident
on 11/15/70 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 24.5
Date of
Birth: 05/02/46
Home City: Metamora, MI
Service: IN branch of the reserve
component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 116 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation
Brigade
Flight class: 69-20
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The
Wall location: 06W-062
Short Summary: AC W1 SHOBEL survived.
Aircraft:
UH-1H tail number 67-17148
SSN: 380467548 Service number:
O5353713
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit
Commander)
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at
sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved:
helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership:
government
Started Tour: 05/28/70
"Official" listing: helicopter air
casualty - pilot
The initial status of this person was: no previous
report
Length of service: *
Location: Quang Tin Province I
Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died
illness or injuries
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion:
Protestant - no denominational preference
The following information is
secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as
defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army
Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 07/29/94
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number
67-17148
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 0168.
Please provide any additional information on this
helicopter to the VHPA.
Tabular Data unavailable on mobile device
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY
6801 0 0 3300 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6802 0 0 3300 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6803 118 118 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6804 141 259 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6805 117 376 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6806 137 513 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6807 101 614 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6808 112 726 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6809 108 834 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6810 111 945 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6811 96 1041 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6812 196 1237 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6901 150 1387 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6902 133 1520 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6903 108 1628 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6904 94 1722 WAX5AA 57 AVN CO AM FW VIETNAM RVN
6905 99 1821 WC5CAA 572ND MI DET VIETNAM RVN
6906 0 1821 WC5CAA 572ND MI DET VIETNAM RVN
6907 0 1821 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN
6908 0 1821 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM
6909 0 1821 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM
6910 2 1823 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM
6911 1 1824 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM
6912 131 1955 WC3GAA 116 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7001 130 2085 WC3GAA 116 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7002 147 2232 WC3GAA 116 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7003 109 2341 WC3GAA 116 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7004 103 2444 WC3GAA 116 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7005 112 2556 WC3GAA 116 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7006 119 2675 WC3GAA 116 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7007 89 2764 WC3GAA 116 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7008 61 2825 WC3GAA 116 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7009 0 2825 WC3GAA 116 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7010 16 2841 WC3GAA 116 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
7011 0 2841 WC3GAA 116 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
Printed from databases on: 08/27/00
