Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C tail number 66-00530
The Army purchased this helicopter 0766
Total flight hours at this point: 00001106
Date: 09/04/68
Unit: HHD 44 ENG GP
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Armed Escort , Other Aircraft.
While On Target this helicopter was Attacking at 0700 feet and
090 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: UH1P3, 24801 ()
Information on U.S. Army helicopter
UH-1C tail number 66-00530
The Army purchased this helicopter 0766
Total flight hours at this point: 00001313
Date: 10/09/69
Incident number: 691009331ACD Accident case number: 691009331
Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 118 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Bien Hoa in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: YT185092
Number killed in accident = 4 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers =
2
costing 436015
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:
P CW2 HIRANO OWEN TETSUMI KIA
P 1LT MASON ROBERT SCOTT JR KIA
CE SP5 SCOTT GREG BRADFORD KIA
G SP4 SPENCER DANNY RAY KIA
Passengers:
ONE, MCO, G
O2 JW MACK, FCO, G
Accident Summary:
TWO UH-1C HELICOPTER GUNSHIPS WERE SUPPORTING TROOPS IN HEAVY CONTACT AT COORDINATES YT3015 ABOUT SEVEN MILES EAST OF BIEN HOA, RVN. LT MACK WAS THE AC OF THE LEAD SHIP AND CW2 HIRANO WAS AC OF THE WING SHIP. WHILE IN SUPPORT OF THE GROUND TROOPS, DARKNESS HAD FALLEN AND WEATHER IN THE AREA HAD BECOME WORSE. AFTER THE FIRE TEAM COMPLETED THEIR MISSION WITH THE GROUND TROOPS, LT MACK BECAME DISORIENTED AND FLEW TOWARD XUAN LOC, RVN INSTEAD OF TOWARD BIEN HOA, WHERE THEY WERE BASED. DURING THIS TIME, THEY LOST CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND STARTED FLYING ON INSTURMENTS. THE LEAD SHIP TUNED IN THE BIEN HOA VOR AND STARTED TRACKING INBOUND TOWARD BIEN HOA WITH THEIR WING SHIP FOLLOWING THEM. LT MACK WAS FLYING AT 1000 FEET INDICATED AND CW2 HIRANO WAS FLYING AT 600 FEET INDICATED. THE RMI OF CW2 HIRANO'S UH-1C WAS INOPERATIVE AND HIS CLOCK WAS MISSING. AFTER FLYING FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES, CW2 HIRANO CALLED LT MACK AND TOLD HIM THAT HE HAD HIGHWAY 1 IN SIGHT WITH HIS SEARCH LIGHT. LT MACK MADE A 360 DEGREE TURN AND STARTED FOLLOWING CW2 HIRANO. LT MACK HAD CW2 HIRANO'S AIRCRAFT IN SIGHT AND ABOUT 200 FEET BELOW HIM. HE COULD SEE THE HIGHWAY WITH THE AID OF CW2 HIRANO'S SEARCH LIGHT. THEY PROCEEDED THIS WAY UNTIL JUST AFTER THEY PASSED OVER TRANG BOM. AT THIS TIME, THEY RAN INTO EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN AND WENT COMPLETELY IFR. CW2 HIRANO CALLED AT THIS TIME AND SAID HE WAS MAKING A 180 DEGREE TURN TO THE RIGHT. LT MACK STARTED A RIGHT 180 DEGREE TURN AT THE SAME TIME. AFTER TURNING ABOUT 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT, LT HINDERLITER, FLYING WITH LT MACK, LOST SIGHT OF CW2 HIRANO'S AIRCRAFT DUE TO THE TURN. ABOUT ONE MINUTE LATER, LT MACK SPOTTED THE LIGHTS OF TRANG BOM AND GAVE CW2 HIRANO A CALL TO LAND THERE. HE RECEIVED NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. LT MACK TRIED TO CONTACT CW2 HIRANO ON UHF, FM, AND VHF RADIOS, INCLUDING GUARD FREQUENCY, BUT TO NO AVAIL. LT MACK LANDED AT TRANG BOM. ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES LATER, THE WEATHER HAD CLEARED SUFFICIENTLY AND LT MACK CONTINUED TO BIEN HOA. HE AGAIN TRIED TO CONTACT CW2 HIRANO, BUT RECEIVED NO ANSWER. SHORTLY AFTER CW2 HIRANO STARTED HIS RIGHT TURN, HE PROBABLY EXPERIENCED VERTIGO. IF LT MASON, HIS PILOT, TOOK THE CONTROLS, HE WOULD HAVE HAD NO INDICATION OF HIS HEADING BECAUSE THE RMI WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE MAGNETIC COMPASS IS NOT VISIBLE FROM THE LEFT SEAT OF THE UH-1. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO THE RIGHT, TURNING A TOTAL OF 450 DEGREES. AT THIS TIME, THE UH-1C WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A 70 TO 80 DEGREE DIVE WITH THE NOSE TURNED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE UH-1C WAS COMPLETELY CRUSHED, KILLING ALL FOUR CREWMEMBERS. THE ADVANCING BLADE STRUCK THE GROUND AND FORMED A HOLE ALMOST STRAIGHT INTO THE GROUND. AT THIS TIME, THE TAIL BOOM BROKE NEAR ITS BASE AND FELL TO THE GROUND POINTING ABOUT 30 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER IMPACT, THE REMAINDER OF THE FUSELAGE TURNED OVER IN THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. A SMALL FIRE STARTED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE BUT WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED, PROBABLY DUE TO THE HEAVY RAIN. THE UH-1C HAD CRASHED INTO A HEAVY STAND OF BAMBOO. IN THE CRASH, THE ROTOR BLADES HAD CUT THE BAMBOO, MUCH OF WHICH COVERED THE WRECK AND MADE IT INVISIBLE FROM THE AIR.\\
This record was last updated on 09/20/98
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: CW2 Owen Tetsumi Hirano
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/09/69 while performing
the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 24.6
Date of Birth: 02/23/45
Home City: Honolulu, HI
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 118 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 68-9
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 17W-056
Short Summary: Crashed in bad wx after staying on location until
20 min fuel light looking for survivors of A/C betw Long Binh
& Xoun Loc w/ Robt Mason
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 66-00530
SSN: 576444107
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: A/C Accident
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Started Tour: 03/25/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other
aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Long Khanh Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Mongolain
Relgion: Buddhist
The following information 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: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 07/28/94
Name: 1LT Robert Scott Mason, Jr.
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/09/69 while performing
the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 22.1
Date of Birth: 09/05/47
Home City: Babylon, NY
Service: IN branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 118 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 69-12
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 17W-057
Short Summary: Crashed in bad wx E of Long Binh. Had stayed on
location until 20 min light looking for survivors of A/C w/ Owen
Hirano.
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 66-00530
SSN: 092388521
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: A/C Accident
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 07/01/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 02
Location: Long Khanh Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
The following information 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
Name: SP5 Greg Bradford Scott
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/09/69 while performing
the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 21.6
Date of Birth: 03/05/48
Home City: Phoenix, AZ
Service: component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 118 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 17W-058
Short Summary: Crashed in bad WX after staying on location until
20 min fuel light looking for survivors of downed aircraft.
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 66-00530
SSN: 527764177
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N20 = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Started Tour: 04/27/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other
aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Long Khanh Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Protestant - no denominational preference
The following information 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 07/24/94
Name: SP4 Danny Ray Spencer
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/09/69 while performing
the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 20.7
Date of Birth: 01/17/49
Home City: Independence, MO
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 118 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 17W-059
Short Summary: Crashed in bad WX after staying on location until
20 min fuel light looking for down aircraft.
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 66-00530
SSN: 486545321
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67A1F = Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
Started Tour: 02/07/69
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other
aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Long Khanh Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Latter Day Saints (Mormon)
The following information 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 07/28/94
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter
UH-1B tail number 66-00530
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 0766.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to
the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6610 7 88 1478 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6611 0 88 1478 ARMY AVN DIV 6TH ARMY DUGWAY PG TEVALCOM 6612 0 88 1478 ARMY AVN DIV 6TH ARMY DUGWAY PG TEVALCOM 6701 6 94 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6702 66 160 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6703 54 214 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6704 60 274 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6705 56 330 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6706 75 405 3320 USARV FLT DET VIETNAM RVN 6707 87 492 3320 USARV FLT DET VIETNAM RVN 6708 75 567 3320 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6709 47 614 3320 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6710 44 658 3320 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6711 28 686 3320 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6712 93 779 3320 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6801 23 802 3320 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6802 8 810 3320 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6803 38 848 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6804 17 865 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6805 33 898 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6806 24 922 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6807 45 967 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6808 51 1018 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6809 88 1106 3257 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6810 55 1161 3257 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6811 0 1161 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6812 0 1161 WG2BAA 11 ARM CAV REG VIETNAM RVN 6901 56 1217 WCLUAA 611 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6902 6 1223 WCLUAA 611 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6903 0 1223 WCLUAA 611 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6904 8 1231 WCLUAA 611 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6905 14 1245 WCLUAA 611 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6906 3 1248 WCLUAA 611 TRANS CO DS VIETNAM RVN 6907 34 1282 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6908 1 1283 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6909 30 1313 WAX9AA 118 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870