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| Date: | Monday 6 October 1969 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Sikorsky CH-3E Sea King (S-61R) |
| Owner/operator: | 21st SOS, 56th SOW, USAF |
| Registration: | 62-12579 |
| MSN: | 61-504 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 30 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Muang Phin, Laos -
 Laos
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | VTUW |
| Muang Phin, Laos |
This CH-3E with call sign KNIFE 62 was one of 10 helicopters used in a covert mission to fly about 200 Hmong troops to a dirt landing strip at Muang Phin in Laos. The first in was KNIFE 61 (64-14222), which made a forced landing after one engine was knocked out by ground fire. When KNIFE 62 approached in order to rescue the crew it was also hit by enemy gunfire and made a crash landing in the vicinity of the other aircraft. A HH-3E made an attempt to reach the crash site, but was forced to return to base after being damaged by ground fire too. Eventually two HH-53 of 40th ARRS recovered all eight crew members and 46 Laotian soldiers before nightfall.
Pilot Maj. Philip J. Conran, co-pilot Capt. Pete L. Costa and flight engineers TSgt Wilburn T. Franklin & MSgt Homer L. Ramsey - the pilot was awarded the Air Force Cross for his role in the defence of the crash site against an overwhelming hostile force until rescue was possible six hours later.
Sources:
https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1962.html
https://www.helis.com/database/cn/5501/
https://911gfx.nexus.net/aircraftlosses.html
https://rotorheadsrus.us/documents/330.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Jan-2010 12:13 | TB | Added |
| 21-Dec-2012 10:19 | TB | Updated [Operator, Narrative, ] |
| 22-Jan-2025 07:04 | Tetrapack | Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Total occupants, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
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