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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