VHPA Incident Report — UH-1H 69-15692
Official accident report from the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association database for UH-1H tail number 69-15692, which crashed on April 24, 1971 near FSB Fontaine. Source: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database and Army Aviation Safety Center database, also OPERA (Operations Report). Record last updated February 6, 2009.
Aircraft: UH-1H 69-15692 — Unit: A/229 AVN — Station: Bien Hoa Purchased: September 1970 — Total flight hours at loss: 521 Incident number: 710424101ACD — Accident case number: 710424101 Classification: Total loss — Fatality accident Killed: 3 — Injured: 8 — Passengers aboard: 7 — Estimated cost: $410,945
Crew
| Role | Rank | Name | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Commander | CPT | Martin Vincent Fanning | KIA |
| Pilot | WO1 | Gabriel Augustus Jeffries Jr. | KIA |
| Crew Chief | E4 | L.O. Olds | Survived (injured) |
| Gunner | E3 | Nathan Stanfield | Survived (injured) |
Passengers
| Rank | Name | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| SGT | Richard Eugene Colburn (AR) | KIA |
| E4 | J.T. Pugh | Survived (injured) |
| E5 | K.R. Capps | Survived (injured) |
| E3 | T.A. Sukup | Survived (injured) |
| E4 | C. Castillo | Survived (injured) |
| E5 | W.J. Brooks | Survived (injured) |
| O2 | C.J. McCoy | Survived (injured) |
Accident Summary
The aircraft was released from its mission (command and control) at approximately 1720 hours, 24 April 1971. They refueled at FSB Fontaine prior to departure (approximately 1300 lbs total). They then repositioned from POL to the VIP pad and picked up seven passengers. Request for takeoff was made and they were cleared for a 020 departure from the Pathfinder. A hover-check was made and as stated by the crew, it was read off by the co-pilot at 36 lbs of torque and 98% N1. The takeoff was normal and uneventful. They cleared the trees and were gaining altitude (approximately 100–200 ft above the trees) when a loud bang was heard and a loss of power occurred.
The aircraft settled slowly for 25 to 50 feet, then continued at a rapid rate. The aircraft was heading for a cleared area; as it approached, its rate of descent slowed considerably (RPM decayed rapidly at this point). It then made contact with approximately three trees, 4 to 8 inches in diameter, approximately 75 feet high. The aircraft commander tried to enter the LZ in a sliding motion around the trees but the left skid caught on one of the three trees, causing the aircraft to pitch nose down and roll right. With the continuing decay of RPM (100 RPM as stated by the crew chief), the aircraft fell near-vertically approximately 50 feet, impacting on logs, nose low, with the right cockpit portion sustaining greater damage, and continued over on its right side.
The crew chief and a passenger (PFC Castillo) were able to exit the aircraft immediately. A fire was noticed in the engine. The crew chief, being unable to walk, instructed the passenger to secure the fire extinguisher and extinguish the fire, which was done. He also had the passenger turn off the battery. About this time help arrived and they began freeing the other personnel from the wreckage.
