Helicopter UH-1H 68-16550

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-16550
The Army purchased this helicopter 1269
Total flight hours at this point: 00000557
Date: 06/10/70
Accident case number: 700610061
Unit: A/101 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Camp Eagle in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 6736
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W1 STOVER SR

Accident Summary:

MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK TREE LIMB ON SHORT FINAL TO LZ ICDT DMG \

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-16550
The Army purchased this helicopter 1269
Total flight hours at this point: 00000557
Date: 07/20/70
Incident number: 70072020.KIA
Unit: A/101 AVN
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was LOSS TO INVENTORY
for Command and Control
While on Landing Zone this helicopter was on the Ground at 0000 feet and 000 knots.
Classified
Helicopter took 1 hits from:
Explosive Weapon; Non-Artillery launched or static weapons containing explosive charges. (RPG)
The helicopter was hit in the Tail Section causing Fragmentation Damage.
Systems damaged were: FLT CONTROLS, PERSONNEL, DRIVESHAFT
Casualties = 01 KIA, 02 INJ . .
Aircraft Destroyed.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Destroyed by friendly forces
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: OPERA, LNNF, CALTR, CASRP, CRAFX, JSIDR (Operations Report. Lindenmuth New Format Data Base. Joint Services Incident Damage Report. Crash Facts Message. Casualty Report. )
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
P CPT AYERS DAVID WILLIAM KIA
This record was last updated on 05/25/98

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: CPT David William Ayers
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 07/20/70 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 25.2
Date of Birth: 05/20/45
Home City: Simi, CA
Service: FA branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 101 ABN
Major organization: 101st Airborne Division
Flight class: 70-12
Service: FA branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 08W-034
Short Summary: Shot down, died on impact, helicopter burned before bodies could be removed.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-16550
SSN: 555628058
Country: Laos
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: vehicular accident
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 06/26/70
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
The initial status of this person was: hostile dead - killed out-right
Length of service: *
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Episcopal (Anglican)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 02/21/94

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-16550
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 1269.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6912   0    0 WC5GAA 610 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN     
7001  28   28 WAB3A0 A-101 AHB 101AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7002  65   93 WAB3A0 A-101 AHB 101AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7003  69  162 WAB3A0 A-101 AHB 101AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7004 124  286 WAB3A0 A-101 AHB 101AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7005 152  438 WAB3A0 A-101 AHB 101AB  VIETNAM                     RVN     
7006 119  557 WAB3A0 A-101 AHB 101AB  VIETNAM                     RVN

Please send additions or corrections to:

Gary Roush
43 Overbrook Road
Painted Post, NY 14870

Send comments and questions to the VHPA at ( [email protected] )

Printed from databases on: 01/25/99

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