Boeing CH-47A Chinook helicopter 64-13116.

64-13116

243rd ASHC unit patch from their days in the Republic of Vietnam.

Property of

243rd Assault Support Helicopter Company

"Freight Train"

Republic of Vietnam

   64-13116, Boeing build number B-088, was a CH-47A helicopter. The U.S. Army acceptance date was 17 February 1965. The administrative strike date was 31 May 1971. 64-13116 accumulated 2,384.0 aircraft hours.

   On 31 May 1971, while assigned to the 243rd Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) - "Freight Train", in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN), 64-13116 was lost due to an accident.

   At 0818 hours, Army aircraft CH-47A, serial number 64-13116, departed DBT enroute to Phu Hiep, RVN, on a routine re-supply mission in support of the 28th Regiment, 9th ROKA Infantry Division. Upon stopping at the 9th Division pad in Ninh Hoa, a squeal was noted in the SAS system, but after recycling the system the squeal disappeared, and the aircraft on-loaded 15 passengers.

   Aircraft #116 continued its flight to Tuy Hoa AAF, dropped off two passengers and refueled at the CH-47 POL (petroleum oil lubricant, a.k.a. fuel point) point.

   Returning to the 28th RCP, the aircraft discharged 15 passengers, picked up the korean liason NCO, and began its mission.

   After hauling five slingloads of supplies, aircraft #116 returned to the Tuy Hoa POL point for refueling, and then carried an additional five slingloads.

   Returning to Tuy Hoa at approximately 1230 hours, the aircraft was again refueled from the same POL point, and the crew prepared to return to Phu Hiep to carry the last two loads of the day.

   With WO1 Schieb at the controls, a hover check was made which indicated approximately 440 lbs of torque, and WO1 Scheib then departed to the south enroute to Phu Hiep. WO1 Scheib made an approach to a hover in alignment with the landing strip at the RCP (160) and hovered left to the resupply pad to pick up the load.

   The load consisted of several boxes of supplies (unmarked), a loaded fuel bladder, and a large water container in three separate slings, weighing a total of approximately 6000 lbs.

   After lifting the three slings (approximately 30' long) 40-50 feet clear of the ground, WO1 Scheib made a right pedal turn to align the aircraft with the takeoff heading and make a hover check. The hover check indicated that #1 engine had 90.5% N1 at 640 lbs of torque.

   WO1 Scheib then began the takeoff by making a slight cyclic/pedal turn to the right and then to the left to align the aircraft with the cleared path (240) which is normally used for takeoff to avoid buildings in case of a dropped load. As the aircraft entered translational lift at approximately 20-30 knots and 100', the #2 engine failed, causing the rotor rpm to drop and the aircraft began to settle.

   CW2 Moree took control of the aircraft, noted that the #2 engine N1 decreased through 55%, and instructed the Flight Engineer to release the load. WO1 Scheib also activated his cyclic release button at this time.

   The load dropped approximately 30 feet to the ground, causing the fuel and water container to burst.

   At load release (approximately 60' altitude), CW2 Moree noted the #1 engine reach 780 lbs of torque and then decrease rapidly. The aircraft lurched slightly forward and assumed a nose high attitude.

   CW2 Moree was unable to lower the thrust control and states that the cyclic traveled rearward in three short, rapid movements to the full aft position against his control pressures.

   With rotor rpm continuing to deteriorate, the aircraft struck a 9' high sand berm which was covered with concertina wire. The left aft gear dug an 18" hole in the berm, causing the gear strut upper attaching point to fail.

   Simultaneously, the aft rotor system contacted two fence posts on the berm, causing two 9' 6" sections from separate aft blades to separate from the aircraft.

   The aft section of the aircraft again became airborne and pivoted counter-clockwise around the forward rotor system, which was already in contact with the ground.

   The fuselage of the aircraft impacted vertically on its right side on the inner perimeter fence of the 28th RCP, detonating at least one claymore mine and two trip flares.

   Fire was instantaneous on impact of the aft section.

   The pilot exited through the right cockpit jettisonable door which had opened on impact, followed by the instructor pilot and the crew chief. The gunner exited either through this door or the right chin bubble.

   The Flight Engineer, who was in the vicinity of the bottom hatch, and the Korean Liaison NCO, who was sitting in a troop seat beside the hatch, were thrown towards the rear of the aircraft when it entered the nose-high configuration, and were not seen by any member of the crew after impact.

   After clearing the aircraft, the instructor pilot immediately went to a phone and notified 268th Aviation Battalion Operations and procured MEDEVAC assistance.

   The fire consumed the entire aircraft within five minutes.

   The Flight Engineer (SP5 Kearns) and the Korean NCO (S.W. Pak) were killed in the crash.

   As of 31 May 1971, the last known location of 64-13116 was in the Republic of Vietnam.

   Aircraft status: Crashed.