61st Assault Helicopter Company
Lucky Star · Starblazers · Vietnam 1967–1972
DURING COMBAT RECON EXP CONT VIB MADE P/L MORE THAN NORMAL SMOKE FROM ENG EXH CAUSE UNK
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 63-08621
The Army
purchased this helicopter 0564
Total flight hours at this point:
00002078
Date: 07/25/67
Unit: C/1/9 CAV
This was a Combat incident.
This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Armed
Recon
While in Target Area this helicopter was Attacking at 0050 feet and
035 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 Tail
Section
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: LNOF, 74271, HDSV (Lindenmuth Old Format Data Base. )
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 63-08621
The Army
purchased this helicopter 0564
Total flight hours at this point:
00002124
Date: 08/06/67
Unit: C/1/9 CAV
This was a Combat incident.
This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
This was a Recon mission for Armed
Recon
While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0800 feet and 080
knots.
Not Reported
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 Left Side
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: LNOF, 74709, HDSV
(Lindenmuth Old Format Data Base. )
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 63-08621
The Army
purchased this helicopter 0564
Total flight hours at this point:
00002604
Date: 07/03/69
Accident case number: 690703161 Total loss or
fatality Accident
Unit: 61 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Tuy
Hoa in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: BS880001
Number killed in
accident = 0 . . Injured = 1 . . Passengers = 0
costing 244760
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 W2 PAPKA MF
P W2 HESSELGESSER GR
CE
E4 DAILEY D
G E4 LARSON E
Accident Summary:
ON 3 JULY 1969 AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 HOURS, I WAS NOTIFIED I HAD BEEN APPOINTED AS THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION OFFICER ON AN ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED 3 JULY 1969 AT THE 61ST AVN CO (AH). THE MISHAP, INVOLVING AIRCRAFT UH-1B #63-8621, OCCURRED AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAKING AN ASAP TAKEOFF FROM THE CRAPTABLE TO PROVIDE COUNTER MORTAR FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED WHILE THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WAS TRYING TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE. AT APPROXIMATELY 2345 HOURS IN 2 JULY 1969, THE CRAPTABLE LOCATED AT LZ ENGLISH STARTED RECEIVING INCOMING MORTAR ROUNDS. THE PRIMARY GUNSHIP TEAM WAS ALERTED AND PREPARED TO CRANK. AFTER A 15 MINUTE DELAY AT APERATIONS, THE CREW BOARDED AIRCRAFT UH-1B 63-8621 AND CRANKED. DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY WHETHER OR NOT MORTAR ROUNDS HAD CEASED AND DUE TO ARTILLERY FIRE FROM NORTH ENGLISH, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, CW2 PAPKA, CHOSE TO TAKEOFF FROM THE REVETMENT AT A HEADING OF 030 DEGREES. HE CHOSE THIS COURSE OF ACTION RATHER THAN HOVERING TO THE PRESCRIBED TAKEOFF PAD AND EXPOSING THE TEAM TOT HE MORTAR FIRE AND FRIENDLY ARTILLERY. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT HOVERED OVER THE TOP OF A 4 FT L SHAPED REVETMENT TO AVOID CONTACT WITH THE WING MAN TO HIS 3 O'CLOCK POSITION. AFTER CLEARING THE REVETMENT, HE HOVERED TO A 3 OR 4 FOOT HVER AND BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF. DUE TO THE HEAVILY LOADED AIRCRAFT AND A DOWN WIND CONDITION, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED BLEEDING OFF RPM. WHEN THE RPM REACHED 6000, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER DECIDED HE WOULD NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OR POWER TO CLEAR WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE WIRES AND POLES IN HIS FLIGHT PATH. IN AN ATTEMPT TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, HE MADE A 180 DEG TURN TO HIS RIGHT AND TRIED TO LAND ON A PIECE OF ROAD IN FRONT OF THE MOTOR POOL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHEN THE TAIL BOOM STRUCK THE LEADING EDGE OF THE MORTOR POOL ROOF. AS THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO THE GROUND, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE CAUSING THE POLE TO BE SEVERED IN HALF. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A 180 DEG TURN WHILE BEING TANGLED IN THE SEVERAL WIRES FROM THE TELEPHON EPOLES. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST WITH SEVERE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AND THE MAIN ROTOR AND TAIL ROTOR SEPARATED. THE ACCIDENT WAS SURVIVABLE IN THAT THE CREW COMPARTMENT WAS NOT BADLY DAMAGED. THE FOUR MAN CREW EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SPRAYED WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS TO PREVENT FIRE.\\
This record was last updated on 07/12/98
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1B tail number
63-08621
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 0564.
Please provide any additional information on this
helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6610 90 1413 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6611 35 1448 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6612 66 1514 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6701 109 1623 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6702 55 1678 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6703 128 1806 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6704 118 1924 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6705 51 1975 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6706 103 2078 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6707 0 2078 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6708 46 2124 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6709 99 2223 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6710 0 2223 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN 6711 0 2223 W0MUAA ARADMAC 4TH ARMY NAVAL AIR STA AVCOM 6712 0 2223 W0MUAA ARADMAC 4TH ARMY NAVAL AIR STA AVCOM 6801 0 2223 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6802 2 2225 W0MUAA ARADMAC IN MAINT NAVAL AIR STN AVCOM 6803 16 2241 W0U36P DIR MAT MAIN AB 3RD ARMY FORT BRAGG 3RD ARMY 6804 28 2269 1735 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6805 42 2311 1735 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6806 36 2347 1735 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6807 71 2418 1735 OPM SEA NITEOPS 1ST ARMY FORT BELVOIR AMC 6808 37 2455 1735 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6809 14 2469 WDBWAA B BTRY 77 ARTY 3RD ARMY FORT BRAGG 3RD ARMY 6810 20 2489 WDBWAA B BTRY 77 ARTY 3RD ARMY FORT BRAGG 3RD ARMY 6811 0 2489 WDBWAA B BTRY 77 ARTY 3RD ARMY FORT BRAGG 3RD ARMY 6812 16 2505 WDBWAA B BTRY 77 ARTY 3RD ARMY FORT BRAGG 3RD ARMY 6901 0 2505 WDBWAA B BTRY 77 ARTY 3RD ARMY FORT BRAGG 3RD ARMY 6902 0 2505 WDBWAA B BTRY 77 ARTY 3RD ARMY FORT BRAGG 3RD ARMY 6903 2 2507 WFJ8B0 B 4-77ATY 101AC VIETNAM RVN 6904 52 2559 WFJ4D0 COD 158BN 101AC VIETNAM RVN 6905 3 2562 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6906 32 2594 WAYPAA 61 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 6907 10 2604 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO VIETNAM RVN
Please send additions or corrections to:
VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law
Copyright © 1998, 1999 and 2000 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association