Helicopter or incident 67-18430


Information on U.S. Army helicopter CH-54A tail number 67-18430
The Army purchased this helicopter 1267
Date: 07/02/1969
Unit: 478 HHC
South Vietnam
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: War Story as related by a witness. Also: Art Darling's Skycrane profile sheet ()
Summary: Skycrane with a double load of culvert material had to shear its hook to get rid of the load.

Crew Members:
IP CWO DARLING ART E
CP CWO STRICKLAND MEL


War Story:
I had been in country for about 30 days when I was signed off as a unit IP. Mel Strickland had about two weeks in country and we were assigned for a mission with the 101st. Everything was going good until we ran out of Crane loads and they asked us if we could haul some Chinook loads. Being full-fledged Crane pilots, we said, "Sure, make them doubles." We moved over our next load and they slammed a double web into our hook before we could say anything. Having hauled some using web, we decided to take the load as we were up and moving before the CE told us what had happened. Everything was okay until we started our approach into FSB Pistol. We were a little hot on the approach and I told Mel that he needed to slow up and get his power in. When he started to pull more power, we started to bounce, not severely, but quite noticeable. We reduced power and things smoothed out, but the pad was coming at us fast. As power was pulled to terminate the approach, we went into vertical bounce severe enough to lock our shoulder harnesses. Mel tried to turn the AFCS servo off on the collective but we were bouncing so bad he couldn't hold it off and things just got worse. People on the ground dove for cover under anything high enough to get under. We made a complete lap around the entire fire base and I couldn't turn the AFCS servo off. My arms were flying around every time I reached for it. As we came back over the log pad, I told the FE to get rid of the load. There was a slight delay and then the aircraft became rock steady at about a 50-foot hover. The electrical release didn't work as the hook was jammed and he had sheared the hook off. Our two Chinook loads of culvert were spread over a large portion of the FSB and our hook was on the pad. We couldn't land because the culvert material was all over the place, so we left for fuel. As we neared the beach, I heard Mike Crowley heading by Pistol, so I asked him if he could stop on his way back and pick up our hook. He said he would. As we were refueling, Crowley called and said he didn't see any Chinook. I had to explain to him - not a Chinook, but our HOOK. MAJ Roy Leggett was the maintenance officer at the time. I'm sure he appreciated Mel and I being there at that time and place! I didn't live that down until I had a jeep roll down Mount Evans. Submitted by Art Darling, August 199

This record was last updated on 11/21/1999


Information on U.S. Army helicopter CH-54A tail number 67-18430
The Army purchased this helicopter 1267
Total flight hours at this point: 00000698
Date: 10/12/1969
Unit: 478 HHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED
This was an Unknown mission for Unknown
While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 1500 feet and 080 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 Right Side
Systems damaged were: LDG GEAR, EQUIPMENT
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: MISC (Miscellaneous. )


Information on U.S. Army helicopter CH-54A tail number 67-18430
The Army purchased this helicopter 1267
Total flight hours at this point: 00000857
Date: 02/11/1970
Unit: 478 HHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED
This was an Unknown mission for Unknown
While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0800 feet and 060 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)
Systems damaged were: TAIL ROTOR
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: MISC (Miscellaneous. )


The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter CH-54A tail number 67-18430
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 1267.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6712   0    0 W0Y6AA INTRANSIT        IN TRANSIT                  AVCOMCTR
6801  40   40 W26FAA 355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
6802   0   40 W26FAA 355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
6803   0   40 W26FAA 355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
6804   0   40 3300   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM   
6805  50   90 3220   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
6806  23  113 3220   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
6807  35  148 3261   OPM SEA NITEOPS  1ST ARMY   FORT BELVOIR     AMC     
6808  36  184 3497   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6809   0  184 3206   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6810   0  184 3206   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6811  20  204 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
6812  42  246 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
6901  53  299 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
6902  41  340 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
6903  68  408 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
6904  32  440 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
6905  46  486 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
6906  18  504 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
6907  50  554 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
6908  48  602 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
6909  57  659 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
6910  39  698 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6911  39  737 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
6912  45  782 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7001  43  825 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7002  32  857 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7003  55  912 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7004  46  958 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7005  70 1028 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7006  30 1058 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7007  68 1126 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7008  66 1192 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7009  32 1224 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7010  31 1255 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7011  47 1302 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7012  38 1340 WARBAA HHC 478  101 AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7101  39 1379 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7102  41 1420 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7103  42 1462 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7104  71 1533 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7105  55 1588 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7106  31 1619 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7107  22 1641 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7108  28 1669 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7109  40 1709 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7110  25 1734 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7111  10 1744 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7112  45 1789 WARBAA 142 TC DS        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7201  13 1802 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7202  26 1828 WARBAA 11 CBT AVN GRP   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7203  78 1906 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7204   2 1908 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7205   0 1908 WARBAA UNIT NOT KNOWN   VIETNAM                     RVN     
7206  15 1923 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7207  17 1940 WARBAA 478 HHC          VIETNAM                     RVN     
7208  12 1952 WHARAA 62 AVN CO        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7209  11 1963 WHARAA 62 AVN CO        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7210  12 1975 WHARAA 62 AVN CO        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7211   0 1975 WHARAA 62 AVN CO        VIETNAM                     RVN     
7212   0 1975 W0Y6AA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM  
7301   0 1975 W0Y6AA ARADMAC          IN MAINT   NAVAL AIR STN    AVSCOM  
7302   0 1975 8007   85TH DIV TRNG    5TH ARMY   CHICAGO          RESV    
7303   0 1975 8007   85TH DIV TRNG    5TH ARMY   CHICAGO          RESV    
7304   0 1975 8007   85TH DIV TRNG    5TH ARMY   CHICAGO          RESV    
7305   0 1975 W0Y6AA NASA             LOAN       LANGLY RSH CTR   AVSCOM  
7306   0 1975 W0Y6AA NASA             LOAN       LANGLY RSH CTR   AVSCOM  
7307   0 1975 W0Y6AA NASA             LOAN       LANGLY RSH CTR   AVSCOM  
7308   0 1975 W0Y6AA NASA             LOAN       LANGLY RSH CTR   AVSCOM  
7309   4 1979 W0Y6AA NASA             LOAN       LANGLY RSH CTR   AVSCOM  
7310   0 1979 W0Y6AA NASA             LOAN       LANGLY RSH CTR   AVSCOM  
7311  19 1998 W0Y6AA NASA             LOAN       LANGLY RSH CTR   AVSCOM  
7312   0 1998 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7401   1 1999 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7402   8 2007 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7403   0 2007 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7404   0 2007 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7405   0 2007 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7406  11 2018 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7410   0 2048 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7411  11 2059 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7412   0 2059 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7501   0 2059 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7502   0 2059 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7503   0 2059 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7504   0 2059 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7505   4 2063 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7506   9 2072 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7507  10 2082 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7508   3 2085 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7509   7 2092 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7510   7 2099 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7511  23 2122 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 
7512  23 2145 WARBAA 478TH AVN CO HV  1ST ARMY   FORT BENNING     FORSCOM 


Please send additions or corrections to:

Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870


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