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| 68-15993 |
213th Assault Support Helicopter Company "Black Cats" Republic of Vietnam 1970 through 1972. |
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180th Assault Support Helicopter Company "Big Windy" Schwabisch Hall, West Germany (FRG) 1 October 1974 through 25 February 1980. |
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| 68-15993, Boeing build number B-585, was a CH-47C helicopter. The U.S. Army acceptance date was 21 May 1969. The administrative strike date was 25 February 1980. 68-15993 accumulated approximately 2,135.0 aircraft hours. In May 1969, 68-15993 was at the New Cumberland Army Depot (NCAD), near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In November 1969, 68-15993 was assigned to the 79th Transportation Company in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN). In December 1969, 68-15993 was assigned to the 330th Transportation Company, in the RVN. In May 1970, 68-15993 was assigned to the 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) - "Black Cats", in the RVN. In March 1972, 68-15993 was en route to the Continental United States (CONUS). In July 1972, 68-15993 was assigned to the Army Aeronautical Depot Maintenance Center (ARADMAC) at Corpus Christi, Texas. In August 1972, 68-15993 was assigned to NCAD. In October 1974, 68-15993 was assigned to the 180th Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) - "Big Windy", 11th Aviation Group, United States Army Europe (USAREUR), located at Schwabisch Hall in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) (West Germany). On 19 December 1974, 68-15993 conducted a precautionary landing resulting in a Class E incident. While in flight, the number two engine chip detector and number two engine oil level low caution lights illuminated. Inspection revealed an electrical short. On 23 July 1975, 68-15993 conducted a precautionary landing resulting in a Class E incident. The pilots reported hearing strange noises coming from the forward transmission and landed in a large open field. Inspection revealed excessive metal particles in the transmission oil. On 18 October 1975, 68-15993 conducted a precautionary landing resulting in a Class E incident. The transmission low pressure caution light and master caution light illuminated. The number one engine transmission oil pressure decreased to 10 PSI. The engine transmission pressure transducer had failed. On 30 May 1977, 68-15993, while enroute to an unknown destination, performed a precautionary landing resulting in a Class E incident. The crew chief discovered an oil leak on the combining transmission. The retaining nut was not properly torqued. It had been painted over during the last overhaul. The retaining flange cracked and caused oil to leak. On 6 September 1977, 68-15993 conducted a precautionary landing resulting in a Class E incident. While in the vicinity of Augsburg, cruising at 200 feet above ground level (AGL) and at 130 knots, pilots felt lateral vibrations that continued to increase in intensity. The aircraft was landed and shut down for inspection. The forward rotor head was too hot to touch. The horizontal hinge pin bearing on yellow blade had failed. The horizontal hinge pin and bearing on forward rotor head overheated. On 23 September 1977, 68-15993 was involved in a Class C accident. While in the vicinity of Augsburg, and after landing and rolling an internal load off the aircraft, the pilot attempted to taxi the aircraft forward, upslope, to clear the load from the ramp. The aircraft came to a low hover and the ramp extensions were driven into the sod forcing the floor of ramp upward and ripping the ramp at the ramp hinge point. On 15 February 1980, 68-15993 conducted a precautionary landing resulting in a Class E incident. While in cruise flight at 5,000 MSL and under Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), the number one engine chip detector light illuminated. An emergency was declared and a landing was made at an unknown Army Airfield (AAF) without further incident. An inspection revealed numerous chips on the engine chip detector plug. The engine was replaced due to impending internal failure. The engine had a previous history of four chip detector light illuminations with metal present, one special oil sample and three complete serviceability checks that all occurred within the last 48 hours. On 25 February 1980 was lost due to an accident near Schwabisch Hall. 68-15993 was on a maintenance test flight (MTF) for installation of the number one engine. At approximately 500 feet, while conducting the turbine engine analysis check (TEAC), the combining transmission phasing mechanism decoupled, resulting in rotor system dephasing and blade meshing. The forward and aft transmissions, and rotor systems separated in flight. The aircraft subsequently crashed into a pine forest and was totally destroyed. All 5 occupants sustained fatal injuries during the impact. The last known location of 68-15993 was in the Federal Republic of Germany. Aircraft status: Crashed. |
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| 1970 or 1971: Captain Don Robinson, Aircraft Commander, stands in front of CH-47C Chinook helicopter 68-15993 after a precautionary landing conducted to an abandoned Special Forces compound southeast of Saigon. The aircraft experienced a engine chip light. At the time, the aircraft was assigned to the 213th Aviation Company ( Assault Support Helicopter Company or ASHC) - "Black Cats" based at Phu Loi. |
| Crash Fatalities |
| CW3 Randall G. Davis, Maintenance Test Pilot (MTP), born 13 November 1949 in Goldthwaite, Texas. |
| CW3 Gary L. McKelvy, Copilot (CP), born 7 July 1948 in Dayton, Ohio. Mr. McKelvy was buried at Arlington National Cemetary. |
| SGT Rick A. Barrett, Flight Engineer (FE), born 17 April 1952 in Denver, Colorado. |
| SP4 Malcolm R. Webb, Crew Chief (CE), born 11 April 1958 in Atlanta, Georgia. |
| SP4 Sean W. Dorsey, Engine Repairman, born 4 March 1958 in Wenatchee, Washington. |
| This aircraft was piloted by: |
| CW3 Randall Gene Davis, Maintenance Test Pilot, 1980 |
| CW3 Gary L. McKelvy, Copilot, 1980 |
| CPT Don Robinson, Aircraft Commander, 1970 - 1971 |
| CPT Bert Adams, Aircraft Commander, 1970 - 1971 |
| Your Name Here. |
| This aircraft was crewed by: |
| SGT Rick A. Barrett, Flight Engineer, 1980 |
| SP4 Malcolm R. Webb, Crew Chief, 1980 |
| SP4 Sean W. Dorsey, Aerial Observer (OR), 1980 |
| Your Name Here. |
| Weight and Balance Records |
| View the last set of Weight and Balance Records (DD Form 365 Series) for CH-47C Chinook helicopter 68-15993. These records, produced from the last surviving original set, are the best available due to their age and condition. Click-N- Go Here [18.6 Mb]. |
| Anybody have a grid coordinate of the crash site? Please send us an email. |
| Related Sites |
| 68-15993 Mishap Report (1980) |
| 68-15993 Class A Accident Report (1980) |
| 68-15993 Class E Accident Report (1980) |
| 68-15993 Class C Accident Report (1977) |
| 68-15993 Class E Accident Report (1977) |
| 68-15993 Class E Accident Report (1977) |
| 68-15993 Class E Accident Report (1975) |
| 68-15993 Class E Accident Report (1975) |
| 68-15993 Class E Accident Report (1974) |
| Final Decents |
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