Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 65-09551
The Army purchased this helicopter 0566
Total flight hours at this point: 00000138
Date: 10/01/1966
Unit: 118 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Unarmed Recon
While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at UNK feet
and 095 knots.
Not Reported
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic
projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
Systems damaged were: STRUCTURE
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: UH1P1, 00664, JSIDR (Joint Services
Incident Damage Report. )
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 65-09551
The Army purchased this helicopter 0566
Total flight hours at this point: 00000234
Date: 12/09/1966
Unit: 118 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Target Marking
While Enroute this helicopter was in Bank Right at 0010 feet and
UNK knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 5 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic
projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS, PERSONNEL
Casualties = 01 WIA . .
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft continued and accomplished all mission objectives.
for 50.00
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was
created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis
Center Helicopter database. Also: UH1P1, 00935, FM232 ()
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 65-09551
The Army purchased this helicopter 0566
Total flight hours at this point: 00000572
Date: 05/15/1967
Unit: 118 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Close Air Support
While in Operations Area this helicopter was at Level Flight at
0100 feet and 090 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 2 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic
projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
Systems damaged were: ARMAMENT
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: LNOF, 73074, JSIDR (Lindenmuth
Old Format Data Base. Joint Services Incident Damage Report. )
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 65-09551
The Army purchased this helicopter 0566
Total flight hours at this point: 00001149
Date: 01/16/1968
Unit: 118 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Close Air Support
While in Target Area this helicopter was Attacking at 0400 feet
and 080 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 2 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: UH1P3, 01602 ()
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 65-09551
The Army purchased this helicopter 0566
Total flight hours at this point: 00001398
Date: 08/12/1968
Accident case number: 680812221 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 118 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Bien Hoa in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers =
0
costing 216914
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 LETTS LK
P W1 ALEXANDER NR
Accident Summary:
The aircraft was the lead ship in a fire team sent to Nui Dat shortly after 0700 hours and arrived at Nui Dat's Kangaroo pad for refueling at 0755 hours. The aircraft commander reduced his power to flight idle as the gunner and crew chief exited the aircraft to begin refueling. The crew chief found the fuel at the point was not flowing and dispatched his gunner to inform the men operating the pumps to have the fuel turned on. When the fuel came on the crew chief proceeded to fill the tanks. After taking on 600 pounds of fuel, bringing the total on board to 1325 pounds according to the fuel gauge, the crew chief stated that the aircraft caught on fire in the fuel cell and he pulled out the nozzle and attempted to shut it off. The nozzle at that refueling point had notches to catch the trigger and allowed the fuel to flow without any pressure being applied by the crew chief. The crew chief was not able to disengage the trigger and ran with the hose until he noticed the flames following him. He dropped the hose at that time and the trigger disengaged from the notches upon impact with the ground and shut off the fuel. The pilot and aircraft commander had heard the fuel ignite and noticed flames entering the left cargo compartment and pilots door. They exited the aircraft out the right side. The gunner was on the way back from the pumps and noticed the crew chief running away from the aircraft hollering that it was on fire. He grabbed a fire extinguisher next to the refueling point but could not work it. The two Australian soldiers operating the POL point noticed the aircraft was on fire and cut the fuel off to the points and immediately drained the lines. They then moved a 150 pound fire extinguisher on wheels to within 50 feet of the aircraft and tried to put out the fire. They had succeeded in suppressing the flames on one side of the aircraft but by that time the small arms ammunition and rockets began exploding and they were forced to clear the area. The crew of the ship was on the other side of the runway by this time
This record was last updated on 08/08/1999
For an interesting version of this incident by an Australian who witnessed it first hand with photos actually taken at the time, go to: http://www.au104.org/Veteran_Stories/vetstory36.htm
UPDATE: Details as remembered by Garrett Ronning in an email August 14, 2004
Gunship explodes on Kangaroo Pad
August 12, 1968 - Nui Dat, Vietnam
My memory may be faulty in thinking back 35 years to that day
in Nui Dat.
I am Garrett Ronning, I was a CWO, US Army, at that time.
I was the commander of the "other gunship" on that day.
As we flew in to Nui Dat, it was routine to refuel immediately
since we were there on standby in case an Aussie Field Team needed
us for close air support. We landed in the refueling area and
rolled the throttle back to idle, unbuckled seat belts and opened
up our flack jackets for air. The door gunner and crew chief got
out to begin refueling while the engines and blade were at idle.
I remember that Nick Alexander was my pilot that day. I do not
remember who was with Lowell Letts, the aircraft commander of
the ship that burned.
The first indication I had that we had a problem was a shout,
and someone stepping in my lap to go out my door. I remember us
laughing about this later, because I had a size 12 foot print
across my lap. We could not figure out how Alexander, being 6’2"
tall, could step in my lap and make it out what opening was left
of my door - but he did it.
Anyway, when I looked at Lowell’s aircraft, it seemed to
be on fire everywhere, and pilots and crew were running like mad.
I started to get out of my aircraft, then decided to roll the
throttle back and fly out. As was stated in the article (by Pete
Murray?), I came out of the refueling area straight up and fast.
I moved about 100 yards away, set the aircraft down, and got out
of the ship in time to hear the first explosions. I watched a
rocket go shooting across the runway into the Aussie Camp. After
several bullets whined overhead, I moved the gunship farther down
the runway.
I remember thinking that the Aussie Fire Fighters were crazy,
very brave, or both, because they ran right up to the burning
ship with little fire extinguishers. The ship was full of at least
12,000 rounds of 7.62 bullets, a case of hand grenades, 14 or
more 2.75 rockets, and God only knows what other standard or non
standard weaponry.
I don’t remember that any of the crew were injured. It was
amazing that we did not blow up any of our Aussie friends. In
the following weeks and months when we came to Nui Dat, we took
quite a razzing from everyone there - from the tower operators
to refueling crews - for causing the worst attack on Nui Dat in
years. I still have the cyclic handle from that burned aircraft.
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter
UH-1B tail number 65-09551
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 0566.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to
the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6610 75 138 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6611 43 181 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6612 53 234 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6701 66 300 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6702 57 357 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6703 51 408 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6704 61 469 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6705 103 572 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6706 89 661 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6707 81 742 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6708 75 817 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6709 71 888 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6710 74 962 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6711 85 1047 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6712 46 1093 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6801 56 1149 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6802 7 1156 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6803 32 1188 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6804 55 1243 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6805 81 1324 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6806 62 1386 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6807 12 1398 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870
Printed from databases on: 03/05/2000
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