Helicopter UH-1D 64-13746

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 64-13746
The Army purchased this helicopter 0865
Total flight hours at this point: 00001562
Date: 07/15/1967
Unit: 129 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER
for Air/land Assault , Hot Area.
Unknown this helicopter was on Take-Off at 0100 feet and 050 knots.
South Vietnam
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 Equipment Section
Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS
The self sealing fuel tank developed a leak.
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: UH1P2, 73256 ()


Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 64-13746
The Army purchased this helicopter 0865
Total flight hours at this point: 00003060
Date: 10/28/1969
Incident number: 691028241ACD Accident case number: 691028241 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 15 MED 1 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Phouc Vinh in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XT928441
Number killed in accident = 3 . . Injured = 3 . . Passengers = 2
costing 395145
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:
P CW3 HODGES FERMAN BOBBY KIA
CE E6 LEWANDOWSKI F
G E3 DANDREA S

Passengers:
SP4 CINOTTI RALPH SILVIO, CMP, A; SP4 DENLEY BILLY WAYNE, CMP, A;


Accident Summary:

AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING A MAINTENANCE RUN FROM PHU LOI TO PHUOC VINH TO PICK UP PARTS. THE FLYING TIME FOR THAT DISTANCE IS APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FLOWN FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES OF THE 30 MINUTES FLIGHT WHEN THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER CONTACTED THE PHUOC VINH TOWER AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS AT THE SONG BE BRIDGE. HE STATED HE WAS EXPERIENCING IFR CONDITIONS AND THAT HE WAS BECOMING DISORIENTED. HE REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM PHUOC VINH CGA. THE TOWER INSTRUCTED THIM TO CLIMB TO AN ALTITUDE OF 900 FEET OR 1000 FEET. THE TOWER THEN ASKED HIM HIS PRESENT ALTITUDE, AND THE PILOT REPORTED 900 FEET. THE TOWER INSTRUCTED HIM TO MAINTAIN AN ALTITUDE OF 900 FEET SO RADAR COULD ATTEMPT TO PICK HIM UP, TO WHICH THE PILOT REPLIED, "ROGER." CGA WAS UNABLE TO PICK THE AIRCRAFT UP DUE TO THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. THE TOWER THEN INSTRUCTED HIM TO TAKE A 360 DEGREE HEADING AND HE WOULD FLY OUT OF THE STORM BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY 2 MILES WIDE. THE PILOT REPLIED, "THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDES." ABOUT I MINUTES LATER THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS ON A 360 DEGREE HEADING. THE TOWER SAID, "ROGER", I'LL SHINE THE WHITE LIGHT OF MU LIGHT GUN IN YOUR DIRECTION." THE PILOT SAID THAT HE THOUGHT HE SAW THE LIGHT BUT HE COULD NOT BE CERTAIN, SO HE MAINTAINED HIS HEADING. THE PILOT THEN REPORTED THAT HE SAW LIGHTS BELOW HIM. HE DESCENDED AN4 R5769T5 3 AT IT WAS THE SONG BE BRIDGE. HE THEN REPORTED TO THE TOWER THAT HE THOUGHT HE HAD VERTIGO. HE REPORTED THAT THE TURBULENCE WAS VERY BAD AND THAT HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WERE NO TRANSMISSIONS FOR ABOUT 1 MINUTE, THEN THE PILOT REPORTED, "TOWER, I NEED RADAR ASAP, I ALMOST CRACKED IT UP IN THE TREES THAT TIME." THE TOWER CALLED HIM BAKC, BUT THERE WAS NO ANSWER.THE TOWER THEN MADE A CALL ON GUARD, BUT STILL THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE UH-1H WAS SEEN BY A GROUND UNIT AT THE SONG BE BRIDGE. IT FLEW OVER THE BRIDGE THREE TIMES, JUST BARELY CLEARING THE BRIDGE EACH TIME. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE CLIMBING THEN DIVING AND ROCKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. AFTER THE LAST PASS OVER THE BRIDGE, THE AIRCRAFT TURNED AND HEADED TO THE SOUTH. IT DOVE TOWARD THE EARTH IT DOVE TOWARD THE EARTH THEN BECAME NOSE HIGH CLIMBING PRACTICALLY STRAIGHT UP. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ROLLED OVER TO ONE SIDE AND FELL NOSE LOW TOWARD THE EARTH. THERE WAS A FLASH OF LIGHT AND A LOUD EXPLOSION, AND THEN A CLOUD OF SMOKE WAS OBSERVED. THE GROUND UNIT, WHICH WAS LOCATED AT THE BRIDGE, RUSHED OUT TO THE CRASH SITE TO HELP THE WOUNDED AND REMOVE THE BODIES FROM THE WRECKAGE. THE PILOT AND TWO CREW MEMBERS WERE KILLED BY THE DECELERATIVE FORCES OF THE INITAIL CRASH.

This record was last updated on 09/20/1998


The following is crew member information for this incident:


Name: CW3 Ferman Bobby Hodges
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/28/1969 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 37.5
Date of Birth: 05/10/1932
Home City: Gardendale, AL
Service: AV branch of the regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 15 MED BN 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 17W-128
Short Summary: A/C accident just before deros.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 64-13746
SSN: 418384797
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: A/C Accident
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 12/18/1968
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 22
Location: Binh Duong Province III Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Baptist - other groups
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 08/20/1995

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 64-13746
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 0865.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6610  70  749 WC3JAA 129 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
6611 104  853 WC3JAA 129 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
6612 109  962 WC3JAA 129 AVN CO       VIETNAM                     RVN     
6701 111 1073 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6702  62 1135 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6703  45 1180 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6704  73 1253 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6705 155 1408 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6706  66 1474 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6707  88 1562 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6708 145 1707 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6709 139 1846 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6710 137 1983 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6711 111 2094 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6712  85 2179 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN     
6801   0 2179 W0Y6AA INTRANSIT        IN TRANSIT                  AVCOMCTR 
6802   0 2179 8005   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY  
6803   0 2179 8005   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY  
6804   0 2179 8005   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM     
6805   0 2179 8005   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY  
6806   0 2179 8005   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY  
6807   0 2179 8005   OPM SEA NITEOPS  1ST ARMY   FORT BELVOIR     AMC          
6808   0 2179 3300   HHD 44 ENG GP    THAILAND                    PACIFIC 
6809  35 2214 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN  VIETNAM                     RVN       
6810  50 2264 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN  VIETNAM                     RVN       
6811  92 2356 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN  VIETNAM                     RVN       
6812  49 2405 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN  VIETNAM                     RVN       
6901  36 2441 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN  VIETNAM                     RVN       
6902  53 2494 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN  VIETNAM                     RVN       
6903  41 2535 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN  VIETNAM                     RVN       
6904  61 2596 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN  VIETNAM                     RVN       
6905  41 2637 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN  VIETNAM                     RVN       
6906  98 2735 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN  VIETNAM                     RVN       
6907  46 2781 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN  VIETNAM                     RVN       
6908 136 2917 WAGYAA HQSPTCO 15MEDBN  VIETNAM                     RVN        
6909 104 3021 WAGYAA 15 MED BN 1 ACD  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6910  39 3060 WC5DAA 605 TRANS CO DS  VIETNAM                     RVN