CPT Elkland’s crashed Huey

Color photos courtesy of Darol "Top" Walker, black and white photos at the bottom of this page from John Reid.

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Helicopter UH-1H 67-17665

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 67-17665
The Army purchased this helicopter 0768
Total flight hours at this point: 00000082
Date: 10/05/68
Accident case number: 681005131
Unit: B/101 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Camp Eagle in
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 1
costing 67178
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
AC W2 PEARCE HW

Passengers:
O3 KR EKLUND, PAX, G;

Accident Summary:

The aircraft was parked on a very slight slope with the left side down slope. As the aircraft began to lift, the left skid came up first, and then the right skid began to come up. Until this time everything was normal. With the aircraft lifting off the ground, there was a loud noise heard by several members of the crew and witnesses in the vicinity of the pad. The noise sounded like a dull thud or a popping/cracking sound. The aircraft, by this time was at a hover between 2 and 3 feet off the ground, began to roll to the right. The main rotor blades came into contact with the ground on the right side of the aircraft causing the mast to snap and pitching the main rotor system to the rear. The main rotor blades then made contact with the tail boom of the aircraft to the rear of the horizontal stabilizer, severing the section from the stabilizer to the rear of the aircraft. The blades again made contact with the tail boom causing the tail section to be approximately 75% severed approximately 2 feet to the rear of the tail boom retaining bolts. At some time during this period, the transmission became separated from the aircraft and was thrown approximately 50 feet to the right rear of the aircraft. The head, mast, and what was left of the main rotor blades came to rest at the left rear of the aircraft approximately 10 feet away. The fuselage/cabin section then landed on its right side and rolled over on the top right side of the cabin