Information on U.S. Army helicopter CH-47B tail number 66-19113
The Army purchased this helicopter 0667
Total flight hours at this point: 00000437
Date: 07/16/1968
Incident number: 680716171ACD Accident case number: 680716171 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 271 ASHC
The station for this helicopter was Can-Tho in
Number killed in accident = 1 . . Injured = 2 . . Passengers = 2
costing 1104884
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.
Crew Members:
P W2 RW JONES
P 1LT SIMPSON JOHN WILLIAM JR KIA
CE E5 AG LOWERY
FE SP5 NOBLE
G SP4 JULIANO
Passengers and/or other participants:
BAKER, PAX, G
NEWHOUSE, PAX, G
Accident Summary:
The aircraft mission was to (1) administer a 90 day standardization check ride to CW2 Jones and (2) to pick up a jeep, supplies, and two passengers at Vung Tau, RVN, and return to Can Tho. The route of flight was (1) to Binh Thuy AFB where two autorotational landings and one single engine running landing were made as part of the check ride. The flight then proceeded (2) to Vung Tau, RVN, during which time CW2 Jones practiced some SAS off flight. After picking up the jeep, supplies and passengers at Vung Tau, the flight proceeded (3) to Dong Tam Airfield, RVN for the purpose of refueling before returning to Can Tho. Upon approach to Dong Tam, all refueling points were in use, and the aircraft was advised to land in the north 40 (large field west of runway 17-35) until a refueling point became vacant. When cleared, CW2 Jones hovered the aircraft across the runway to the refueling point, set the aircraft down set the parking brake, and beeped the engines down to minimal beep (210 rpm). The ramp was lowered and SGT Lowery began refueling the left fuel cell while SP4 Juliano began refueling the right fuel cell. After about 2-3 minutes, a bump was felt by CW2 jones in the cyclic control which was accompanied by a loud noise. Approximately five seconds later the same thing happened again. Almost immediately two more bumps in quick succession were felt and heard followed by the nearly simultaneous tearing from the aircraft of the forward transmission, violent pivoting of the aircraft fuselage to the right, and the outbreak of fire in the heater compartment area and the aft pylon area. The aircraft remained upright, heading 235 degrees on its refueling pad. CW2 Jones, Baker and Newhouse exited the burning aircraft while SP5 Noble and SP4 Juliano had moved north away from the fire. LT Simpson had already sustained fatal injuries from the forward transmission leaving the aircraft and SGT Lowery was laying with his left arm severed underneath the aircraft where he had been knocked by its violent turning movement. Fire turcks and ambulances arrived shortly thereafter and succeeded in extinguishing the fire and evacuating the injured to medical facilities
This record was last updated on 09/20/1998
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Date posted on this site: 09/07/2007
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