Allen, Keith Dobson, Jr., CW2

CWO Keith D. Allen Jr.'s last mission: Accident Summary: THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER WHO WAS FLYING AS WINGMAN FOR THE STRICKEN AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, MET THE BOARD MEMBERS AT 'A' TROOP MAINTENANCE AREA. IT WAS LEARNED FROM QUESTIONING THE AC THAT THE TWO COBRAS HAD TAKEN OFF FROM CHI LANG, WHERE THEY HAD LANDED FOR REFUELING, AND HAD FLOWN APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST. THE WEATHER WAS GOOD, BUT VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED TO 14 TO 12 MILE BY SMOKE. THE TWO AIRCRAFT WERE FLYING AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET OF ALTITUDE AND 110-115 KNOTS AIRSPEED, ENROUTE TO THE AREA OF OPERATIONS TO RELIEVE ANOTHER WEAPONS TEAM ON STATION WHEN THE MAIN ROTOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT, THE UPPER PART OF THE TRANSMISSION CAME OFF, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A SLIGHTLY NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AND EXPLODED ON IMPACT. THE MAIN ROTOR HEAD AND BLADES WERE ON THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY FIFTY FEET TO THE LEFT AND REAR OF THE POINT WHERE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED. THE UPPER PART OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FLIGHT PATH, APPROXIMATELY FIFTY FEET. THE CRASH TOOK THE LIVES OF CWO KEITH D. ALLEN JR. AND WO WILFRED F. SCHMIDT JR