Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16273
The Army purchased this helicopter 0467
Total flight hours at this point: 00002378
Date: 03/02/70
Accident case number: 700302301 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 119 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Pleiku in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: BR484913
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 1 . . Passengers = 0
costing 244345
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, Also 1970 Unit History (Operations Report. )
Summary: Lost power during extraction.
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
AC W1 NORTON TD
P W1 WILSON DO
CE E4 WALTERS TG
G E4 MILLS T

Accident Summary:

AIRCRAFT SN 66-16273, WAS THE SECOND AIRCRAFT ON A LANDING ZONE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT MADE ITS APPROACH AND THEN CALLED TAKING-OFF. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE SECOND AIRCRAFT WAS BREAKING OVER THE TREELINE FOR LANDING. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT HAD TO ABORT THE TAKE-OFF DUE TO RPM LOSS; IT SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND TAKING THE ONLY CLEAR SPACE WITHIN THE LANDING ZONE. SEEING THIS, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER OF THE SECOND AIRCRAFT HAD TO TERMINATE THIS APPROACH SHORT AND TO THE LEFT OF THE INTENDED POINT AT ABOUT A 8-10 FOOT HOVER. THIS WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE 6-8 FOOT TREE STUMPS WHICH COVERED THE LANDING ZONE. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS HOVERED FOREWARD, IT BEGAN A SLOW SPIN TO THE RIGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER RAN OUT OF LEFT PEDAL CONTROL. THE SPIN BECAME FASTER AS 2-3 REVOLUTIONS WERE COMPLETED. AS THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER AND PILOT BEGAN TO CUT THE THROTTLE, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANCER OF THE LEAD AIRCRAFT RADIOED FOR THEM TO CHOP THE THROTTLE. A HOVERING AUTOROTATION WAS EXECUTED WITH THE AIRCRAFT HITTING THE GROUND ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND AND CAME THROUGH THE COCKPIT AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED BACK ON THE SKIDS.\\

War Story:
The 119th AHC unit history records: During the extraction of 2d Bde, 4th Inf Div troops 7 KM west of FSB SUSIE, Gator 273, piloted by WO1 Norton, hovered down to the PZ when the aircraft's RPM started bleeding. Instantaneously the aircraft fell through. WO1 Norton cut the throttle when he suddenly experienced the loss of the left pedal, but the aircraft started to spin. The tail hit a stump and the aircraft rolled on its side. The aircraft was a total loss and WO1 Norton was hospitalized due to head injuries. WO1 Wilson, SP4 Mills, SP4 Williams and six paxs on board were not injured. Editor's Note: The unit history records the date at 25 Feb

I have no memory of the "lead aircraft" having any problems, but I do remember it was hot and we had to stop short of where we wanted to go. I remember somebody yelling to chop the throttle, but I have no idea if it was from inside or outside the 273. Funny thing, the first "trip" around was pretty slow and scenic. That third one, tho', was a real ripper!! And we were both on the stix trying to keep her level; there was a lot of heavy vibrations as the rpm vanished from the hard pitch pull. Once we rolled off the throttle (I think I did that), she straightened right up and settled down. Too bad we didn't have any place to go. She was a good bird.

Pickett