Helicopter UH-1D 66-16504

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16504
The Army purchased this helicopter 0667
Total flight hours at this point: 00001088
Date: 10/27/68
Incident number: 681027061ACD Accident case number: 681027061 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 92 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Dong Ba Thin in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 4 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 514554
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 WO1 MULLINS EDWARD PATRICK KIA
AC WO1 ACKERMAN DENNIS CARLTON KIA
CE SP4 HEAD NOBLE THOMAS KIA
G PFC BRAY RICHARD LOYD III KIA

Accident Summary:

UH-1H Army helicopter 66-16504 was involved in an accident during an attempted medical evacuation from A/3/506th, located at coordinates BN 368958. There was a crew of four(4) on board the flight. A pilot report on the weather in the area of the crash at 1545 hours was overcast at 20 feet above terrain and the mission of 66-16504 was to pick up a sick man from A/3/506th at BN 368958 and take him to fire base (Tudo). The aircraft entered a hole in the overcast and was flying from west to east toward A Company's position. Aircraft 462, orbiting one(1) mile to the north, called 504 and said that the weather was deteriorating rapidly and advised aborting the mission. WO1 Ackerman rogered this transmission. Prior to this transmission, WO1 Mullins had reported to A Company that he had their LZ in sight. No further transmissions were received from aircraft 504 and at 1545 hrs. A Company reported hearing what they thought was a crash and small arms fire. At 1545 hrs., Stallion aircraft 462 and A Company began a search for the missing aircraft. At 1607 hrs., A Company reported hearing small arms fire at approximately 300 meters. At 1618 hrs., a company reported locating the aircraft and two (2) bodies at BN 376965, which is approximately 1200-1300 meters in the direction of flight from A Company's LZ and a ground distance of approximately 1800 meters. At 1640 hrs, A Company reported finding another body approximately 100 feet northwest of the wreckage. At 1658 hrs., A Company reported that the "A" Company executive officer went into the wreckage itself and located the fourth body. When the aircraft was located, it was found to have burned and M-60 ammo was still being detonated from the heat. The aircraft was traveling from west to east, but the wreckage was found pointing from east to west. The search for additional bodies was continued the rest of the afternoon as it was not immediately known how many persons were aboard the aircraft

This record was last updated on 04/14/99

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: WO1 Dennis Carlton Ackerman
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/27/68 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 21.9
Date of Birth: 12/04/46
Home City: Gretna, LA
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 92 AHC
Major organization: other
Flight class: 68-9
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 40W-041
Short Summary: Aircraft accident in marginal weather enroute to medivac a sick man with A/3/503 173rd Airborne Brigade.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16504
Service number: W3160675
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Started Tour: 08/08/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Location: Tuyen Duc Province II Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
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: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 12/18/96

Name: PFC Richard Loyd Bray III
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/27/68 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 18.8
Date of Birth: 01/10/50
Home City: Milton, FL
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 92 AHC
Major organization: other
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 40W-041
Short Summary: Aircraft accident in marginal weather enroute to medivac a sick man with A/3/506 173rd Airborne Brigade.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16504
Service number: 12941555
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67A1F = Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
Started Tour: 09/16/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Location: Tuyen Duc Province II Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single 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: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/27/96

Name: SP4 Noble Thomas Head
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/27/68 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 19.6
Date of Birth: 03/10/49
Home City: Macon, MO
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 92 AHC
Major organization: other
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 40W-044
Short Summary: Aircraft accident in marginal weather enroute to medivac a sick man with A/3/506 173rd Airborne Brigade.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16504
Service number: 16960658
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N20 = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Started Tour: 03/01/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Tuyen Duc Province II Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
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: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/27/96

Name: WO1 Edward Patrick Mullins
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/27/68 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 22.0
Date of Birth: 11/06/46
Home City: Bethlehem, PA
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 92 AHC
Major organization: other
Flight class: 68-1/67-21
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 40W-045
Short Summary: Aircraft accident in marginal weather enroute to medivac a sick man with A/3/506 173rd Airborne Brigade.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16504
Service number: W3159352
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 04/16/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Location: Tuyen Duc Province II Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
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: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 07/27/96

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16504
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 0667.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6706  15   15 WQ4VAA 92 AVN CO        5TH ARMY   FORT CARSON      5TH ARMY
6707  30   45 WQ4VAA 92 AVN CO        5TH ARMY   FORT CARSON      5TH ARMY
6708  35   80 WQ4VAA 92 AVN CO        5TH ARMY   FORT CARSON      5TH ARMY
6709  11   91 WQ4VAA 92 AVN CO        5TH ARMY   FORT CARSON      5TH ARMY
6710   0   91 WQ4VAA 92 AVN CO        5TH ARMY   FORT CARSON      5TH ARMY
6711   4   95 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6712 114  209 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6801  77  286 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6802  46  332 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6803 135  467 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6804 123  590 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6805 107  697 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6806 112  809 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6807 121  930 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6808  81 1011 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6809  77 1088 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN
6810   0 1088 WAX6AA 92 ASLT HEL CO   VIETNAM                     RVN

Please send additions or corrections to:

VHPA Head Quarters or Gary Roush or Mike Law

Printed from databases on: 08/27/00