Rattler/Firebird Association


989

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

DateUnitAreaPostCountry
66-11TRAN MDMHELCO SALASKAALASKA
66-12DIROF SUP TRAN6TH ARMYSHARPE GDSUPMACOM
67-01DIROF SUP TRAN6TH ARMYSHARPE GDAVCOM
67-02DIROF SUP TRAN6TH ARMYSHARPE GDAVCOM
67-0371STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
67-0471STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
67-0571STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
67-0671STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
67-0771STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
67-0871STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
67-0971STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
67-1071STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
67-1171STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
67-1271STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
68-0171STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
68-0271STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
68-0371STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
68-0471STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
68-0571STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
68-0671STASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
68-0779 TRANS COVIETNAMRVN
68-08ARADMACIN STORAGENAVAL AIR STNAVCOM
68-09ARADMACIN MAINTNAVAL AIR STNAVCOM
68-10ARADMAC4TH ARMYNAVAL AIR STAAVCOM
68-11ARADMACIN MAINTNAVAL AIR STNAVCOM
68-12121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
69-01121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
69-02121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
69-03121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
69-04121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
69-05121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
69-06121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
69-07121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
69-08121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
69-09121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
69-10121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
69-11121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
69-12121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
70-01121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
70-02121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
70-03121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
70-04121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
70-05121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
70-06121 ASLT HEL COVIETNAMRVN
70-07OS TO CONUSITR CONUSAVCOMITR
70-08ARADMACIN MAINTNAVAL AIR STNAVCOM
70-09ARADMACIN MAINTNAVAL AIR STNAVCOM
70-10ARADMACIN MAINTNAVAL AIR STNAVCOM
70-11ARADMACIN MAINTNAVAL AIR STNAVCOM
70-12ARADMACIN MAINTNAVAL AIR STNAVCOM
71-01ARADMACIN MAINTNAVAL AIR STNAVSCOM
71-02ARADMACIN MAINTNAVAL AIR STNAVSCOM
71-03BEL HELBAILMENTFT WORTHAVSCOM
71-04BEL HELBAILMENTFT WORTHAVSCOM
71-05BEL HELBAILMENTFT WORTHAVSCOM
71-06BEL HELBAILMENTFT WORTHAVSCOM
71-07BEL HELBAILMENTFT WORTHAVSCOM
71-08BEL HELBAILMENTFT WORTHAVSCOM
71-09NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
71-10NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
71-11NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
71-12NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
72-01NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
72-02NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
72-03NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
72-04NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
72-05NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
72-06NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
72-07NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
72-08NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
72-09NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
72-10NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
72-11NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
72-12NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
73-01NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
73-02NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
73-03NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
73-04NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
73-05NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
73-06NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
73-07NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
73-08NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
73-09NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
73-10NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
73-11NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
73-12NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
74-01NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
74-02NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
74-03NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
74-04NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
74-05NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
74-05NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
74-09NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
74-10NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
74-11NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
74-12NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
75-01NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
75-02NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
75-03NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
75-04NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
75-05NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
75-06NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
75-07NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
75-09NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
75-10NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
75-11NAT GUARDNAT GDZI
75-12NAT GUARDNAT GDZI