Helicopter 68-15767
Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15767 The Army purchased this helicopter 0769 Total flight hours at this point: 00000246 Date: 10/28/69 Incident number: 691028211ACD Accident case number: 691028211 Total loss or fatality Accident Unit: C/227 AVN The station for this helicopter was Phouc Vinh in South Vietnam Number killed in accident = 3 . . Injured = 2 . . Passengers = 0 costing 400145 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 WO1 TADEVIC RALPH DULANE KIA P O2 SPENCER JF . On 10/28/69, Tadevic's co-pilot was 1LT James F. Spencer. After Tadevic "bunched it" taking off at night in a light ground fog, he, Ayala and Connolly were killed instantly, but Spencer, with injuries too serious to account for this, was found well clear of the wreckage - propped up against a tree! It was thought that the VC may actually have done this as an act of humanity so he would be found. Unfortunately, Jim did not survive; he died a few days later. A note From Bruce Wyrwitzke OB CPL CONNOLLY TERRENCE CHARLES KIA CE E4 SMITH FW G SP4 AYALA GEORGE HERMAN KIA
Accident Summary:
THE MISSION WAS IN SUPPORT OF 2D BDE, 1ST CAV DIV (AM), AT SONG BE, RVN. THE MISSION CONSISTED OF ONE UH-1 HELICOPTER WITH ONE AH-1G GUN SHIP AS ESCORT AND ATTACK SUPPORT. THE AIRCRAFT FIRST DEPARTED PHUOC VINH AT ABOUT 1800 HOURS, 27 OCTOBER 1969, BUT DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THEIR DESTINATION WERE REQUIRED TO RETURN TO PHUOC VINH. WO TADEVIC, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO BUTTONS ENTERED IFR CONDITIONS AND EXPERIENCED VERTIGO SEVERE ENOUGH TO REQUIRE TURNING OVER CONTROL TO LT SPENCER. LT SPENCER EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH AND INSTRUMENT CLIMB TO VFR CONDITIONS WHERE WO TADEVIC AGAIN ASSUMED CONTROL AND FLEW THE SHIP TO PHUOC VINH. THERE IS NO INSTRUMENT APPROACH AT FSB BUTTONS. AT APPROXIMATELY 2400 HOURS, WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED TO HAVE IMPROVED THROUGHOUT THE DIVISION AREA OF OPERATIONS WITH THE DISSIPATION OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WHICH HAD EXISTED EARLIER IN THE EVENING. MISSION ZA06 WAS ORDERED TO DEPART FOR BUTTONS. BOTH AIRCRAFT ARRIVED AT FSB BUTTONS AFTER UNEVENTFUL FLIGHTS, AND A MISSION BRIEFING WAS CONDUCTED AT APPROXIMATELY 0100 HOURS. DURING THE BRIEFING IT WAS REPORTED THAT FOG COVERED MOST OF THE AIRCRAFT'S AREA OF OPERATIONS, AND IT WAS DECIDED TO HOLD THE AIRCRAFT DOWN UNTIL CONDITIONS HAD IMPROVED. BY 0200 HOURS, FOG BEGAN MOVING INTO THE AREA OF FSB BUTTONS, AND THE CREWS WERE RELEASED FROM THEIR MISSION AND TOLD THAT THEY COULD RETURN TO HOME STATION, "IF YOU CAN GET OFF IN THIS WEATHER." AFTER DISCUSSING THE CONDITIONS, THE PILOTS DECIDED THAT THE UH-1H WOULD TAKE OFF AND MAKE A WEATHER CHECK, REPORTING THE HEIGHT OF THE FOG LAYER AND ACTUAL CONDITIONS ON THE REPORTED WEATHER. THE UH-1H WAS STARTED, LIFTED TO A HOVER, AND MOVED OUT OF THE REVETMENT. HE BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE TAKEOFF FROM BETWEEN TWO ROWS OF REVETMENTS. TAKEOFF WAS ON A HEADING OF 230 DEGREES. NAVIGATION LIGHTS, THE ROTATING BEACON, LANDING LIGHT, AND THE AIRCRAFT SEARCHLIGHT WERE ALL ON DURING THE TAKE-OFF. THE TAKE-OFF WAS NORMAL TO A POINT ABOUT 200 METERS FROM DEPARTUREPOINT AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100 FEET AGL. AT THIS POINT, OVER THE DEFENSIVE PERIMETER OF THE FIRE SUPPORT BASE, THE LANDING AND SEARCH LIGHTS WERE TURNED OFF AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN. THE TURN WAS STOPPED AFTER ABOUT 30 DEGREES, BUT THE DESCENT CONTINUED OVER THE CLEARED AREA OUTSIDE OF THE DEFENSIVE WIRE UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN THE TREES AT THE EDGE OF A RUBBER PLANTATION 400 METERS FROM THE FIRE SUPPORT BASE.\\
This record was last updated on 05/25/98
The following is crew member information for this incident:
Name: WO1 Ralph Dulane Tadevic Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/28/69 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander. Age at death: 22.1 Date of Birth: 10/09/47 Home City: Chicago, IL Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army. Unit: C/227 AHB 1 CAV Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division Flight class: 69-1 Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army. The Wall location: 17W-129 Short Summary: Crashed flying IFR at night at FSB Buttons. Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15767 SSN: 355389328 Service number: W3162748 Country: South Vietnam MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea Compliment cause: weapons Vehicle involved: helicopter Position in vehicle: aircraft commander Started Tour: 04/06/69 "Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew Length of service: 02 Location: Phuoc Long Province III Corps. Reason: aircraft lost or crashed Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes 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: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer This record was last updated on 07/29/95
Name: SP4 George Herman Ayala Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/28/69 while performing the duty of Gunner. Age at death: 19.2 Date of Birth: 08/20/50 Home City: Bay City, MI Service: regular component of the U.S. Army. Unit: C/227 AHB 1 CAV Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division Service: U.S. Army. The Wall location: 17W-125 Short Summary: Crashed flying IFR at night at FSB Buttons. Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15767 SSN: 363529881 Country: South Vietnam MOS: 67A1F = Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea Compliment cause: weapons Vehicle involved: helicopter Position in vehicle: door gunner Started Tour: 01/03/69 "Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew Length of service: 01 Location: Phuoc Long Province III Corps. Reason: aircraft lost or crashed Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes single male U.S. citizen Race: Caucasian Relgion: Protestant - no denominational preference 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: enlisted personnel This record was last updated on 07/28/94
Name: CPL Terrence Charles Connolly Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/28/69 while performing the duty of Aerial Observer. Age at death: 26.3 Date of Birth: 07/26/43 Home City: New York, NY Service: regular component of the U.S. Army. Unit: C/227 AHB 1 CAV Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division Service: U.S. Army. The Wall location: 17W-126 Short Summary: Crashed flying IFR at night at FSB Buttons. Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 68-15767 SSN: 162348386 Country: South Vietnam MOS: 67A1F = Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea Compliment cause: weapons Vehicle involved: helicopter Position in vehicle: observer Started Tour: 07/27/69 "Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew Length of service: 06 Location: Phuoc Long Province III Corps. Reason: aircraft lost or crashed Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes 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: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel This record was last updated on 07/29/94
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15767 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 0769. Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6907 0 0 3300 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC 6908 121 121 WAAVC0 COC 227ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6909 125 246 WAAVC0 COC 227ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN 6910 0 246 WAAVC0 COC 227ABAH1CAV VIETNAM RVN