Helicopter UH-1H 66-16394

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16394
The Army purchased this helicopter 0567
Total flight hours at this point: 00000580
Date: 12/03/67
Accident case number: 671203051
Unit: 170 AHC
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 3000
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 LEOPOLD RC

Accident Summary:

On short final, the main rotor hit a tree.


Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16394
The Army purchased this helicopter 0567
Total flight hours at this point: 00001849
Date: 03/07/71
Incident number: 710307011ACD Accident case number: 710307011 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 326 MED 101 ABN
The station for this helicopter was Camp Eagle in Laos
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 4 . . Passengers = 2
costing 289345
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 O2 DEFREITAS EA
P W2 JONES JL
CE E4 PICKINS RL
MD SGT WIELER JAMES LAWRENCE KIA

Passengers:
E4 R WELLS, M, D;


Accident Summary:

 THE CREW OF ^#394^ REPORTED TO THE FLIGHT LINE AT CAMP EAGLE AT APPROXIMATELY 0730 HOURS, PERFORMED A PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION, START AND RUN-UP WITHOUT INCIDENT THEN REPORTED NOTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE WHILE ENROUTE OTHER THAN INOPERATIVE UHF AND VHF RADIOS. THE FLIGHT WAS MADE AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1500 FEET. THE PILOT MAINTAINED ALTITUDE TO RELAY A RADIO MESSAGE UNTIL ABREAST OF CAMP EVANS, CONTACTED EVANS TOWER FOR LANDING INSTRUCTIONS AND WERE CLEARED TO LAND TO THE NORTH ON ^"C" MED^ PAD. ^CW2 JONES^ INITIATED A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN TO BASE LEG. AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET INDICATED ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED OF 60 KNOTS HE WITNESSED A LOUD "SCREECHING" NOISE FROM THE ENGINE SECTION OF THE HELICOPTER, THE AIRCRAFT YAWED 10 - 15 TO THE RIGHT THEN STREAMLINED. HE FELT THE CONTROL RESPONSES REMAINED NORMAL BUT IMMEDIATELY RELINQUISHED CONTROLS TO ^1LT DEFREITAS^ WHO INITIATED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TOWARD A CONEX LANDMARK SOUTH OF THE CAMP EVANS RUNWAY. EVANS TOWER WAS ADVISED OF THEIR INTENTIONS. AS THE AIRSPEED DISSIPATED TO APPROXIMATELY 40-45 KNOTS ON THE APPROACH THE HELICOPTER BEGAN AN ACCELERATING RIGHT TURN THEN STARTED A FLAT SPIN TO THE RIGHT. ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN AIRSPEED WERE FUTILE AND THEY REPORTED TO EVANS TOWER THEY WERE GOING TO CRASH. THE TOWER OPERATOR OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT WHILE IN A RIGHT SPIN. CREW STATEMENTS INDICATE THE HELICOPTER INITIALLY IMPACTED ON ITS LEFT FRONT SIDE AND ROLLED AT LEAST TWO TIMES BEFORE COMING TO REST INVERTED. ALL SURVIVING CREWMEMBERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INCIDENT AND THEN BEGAN SEARCHING FOR ^SP4 WEILER^. HE WAS LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE WRECKAGE STILL SECURED TO THE AIRFRAME BY HIS RESTRAINING (MONKEY) HARNESS. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO READ HIS PULSE BUT IT WAS EVIDENT HE HAD DIED INSTANTLY. AN ALERT TOWER OPERATOR DIRECTED AIRCRAFT TO THE SCENE IMMEDIATELY AND A HASTY RIG WAS ATTACHED TO ENABLE A CH-47 TO LEFT THE HELICOPTER TO RECOVER ^SP4 WEILER'S BODY^. THE WRECKAGE WAS REMOVED TO THE AIRFIELD RAMP AREA AT CAMP EVANS AND ALL CREW MEMBERS WERE EVACUATED TO ^COMPANY C, 326TH MEDICAL BATTALION^ AT CAMP EVAN.\\

This record was last updated on 09/20/98


The following is crew member information for this incident:


Name: SGT James Lawrence Wieler (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/07/71 while performing the duty of Medic crew member.
Age at death: 21.0
Date of Birth: 03/02/50
Home City: Millersville, PA
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 326 MED 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 04W-032
Short Summary: Aircraft accident
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16394
Call sign: Dustoff
SSN: 180420606
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 91B2P = Medical NCO
Primary cause: A/C Accident
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: not a crew member
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 06/04/70
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
The initial status of this person was: no previous report
Length of service: *
Location: Thua Thien Province I Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: YD541315
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Presbyterian
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: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/30/95


The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16394
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 0567.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6705   1    1 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN   6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD        AVCOM          
6706   0    1 W0MHAA DIROF SUP TRAN   6TH ARMY   SHARPE GD        AVCOM          
6707  61   62 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6708  51  113 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6709 106  219 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6710 143  362 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6711 121  483 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6712  97  580 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6801 100  680 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6802  59  739 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6803   0  739 WC4YAA 170 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6804   0  739 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM        
6805   0  739 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM        
6806   0  739 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM          
6807   2  741 W0MUAA ARADMAC          IN STORAGE NAVAL AIR STN    AVCOM          
6808   0  741 3300   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6809  46  787 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6810  55  842 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6811  60  902 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6812  60  962 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6901  48 1010 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6902  29 1039 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6903  39 1078 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6904  39 1117 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6905  64 1181 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6906  38 1219 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6907  43 1262 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6908  57 1319 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6909  13 1332 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6910  44 1376 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6911  46 1422 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
6912  27 1449 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7001  35 1484 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7002  24 1508 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7003  52 1560 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7004  59 1619 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7005  19 1638 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7006  28 1666 WACFAA 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7007  43 1709 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7008  26 1735 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7009  20 1755 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7010  47 1802 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7011  15 1817 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7012   0 1817 WACFT0 326 MED 101ACD   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7101   3 1820 WACFT0 326TH MED BN     VIETNAM                     RVN     
7102  29 1849 WACFT0 326TH MED BN     VIETNAM                     RVN     


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Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870


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Printed from databases on: 02/27/99

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