Helicopter UH-1C 65-09551

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


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Printed from databases on: 03/05/2000

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