Accident Sikorsky CH-3E Sea King (S-61R) 63-9681, Thursday 13 August 1970
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Date:Thursday 13 August 1970
Time:
Type:Silhouette image of generic S61 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Sikorsky CH-3E Sea King (S-61R)
Owner/operator:21st SOS, 56th SOW, USAF
Registration: 63-9681
MSN: 61-513
Fatalities:Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:20 miles N of Ubon RTAFB, Thailand -   Thailand
Phase: En route
Nature:Military
Departure airport:Nakhon Phanom RTAFB (VTUW), Thailand
Destination airport:Ubon RTAFB (VTUU), Thailand
Narrative:
The CH-3E with callsign SKYCAP 36 was on an area familiarization flight for a new pilot and delivering cargo to Ubon RTAFB, when it was hit by ground fire flying at about 1000 feet about 20 miles north of their destination. A 12.7mm round destroyed the hydraulic accumulators, knocking out both engines and causing the helicopter to crash upside down and in flames.

The pilot Capt. Alan B. Cheeseman, trainee pilot Capt. George D. Henry, Jr. and flight engineer SSgt Terry D. Reams were killed. Co-pilot Capt. Vic Genez survived with injuries and managed to rescue flight engineer Sgt William L. Ripley from the burning wreckage, but he later died of his burns.

Sources:

https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1963.html
https://www.helis.com/database/cn/5510/
https://911gfx.nexus.net/aircraftlosses.html
https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/incident/70081321KIA.HTM

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
10-Jan-2010 06:13 TB Added
21-Dec-2012 10:22 TB Updated [Operator, Narrative, ]
24-Jan-2025 06:43 Tetrapack Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ]
06-Mar-2025 09:49 Anon. Updated [Category, ]

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