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Cargile, Claude Harmon, 1LT.
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This record was last updated on 07/29/1995
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Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-17132
Incident number: 700513261ACD Accident case number: 700513261
Total loss or fatality - Accident The station for this helicopter was Chu Lai in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 9 . . Injured = 4 . . Passengers = 9
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated:
Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Crew Members:
AC 1LT CARGILE CLAUDE HARMON INJ
P WO1 WHITE DONALD RICHARD KIA
CE E5 JL HENDERSON
G PFC MARTINEZ LE ROY FELIX INJ (Per ATWS Page Admin. - also died later on May 25)
Passengers and/or other participants: 9 ARVN Troops
Accident Summary:
AIRCRAFT 132 WAS INVOLVED IN THE RELOCATION OF ARVN'S FROM ONE FIELD SITE TO ANOTHER. DUE TO THE PROXIMITY OF THE LZ AND PZ, THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAKING A LOW-LEVEL, DAISY-CHAIN, TYPE PATTERN WITH THE OTHER AIRCRAFT INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER SAID IN HIS STATEMENT THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN BLEEDING OFF A COUPLE HUNDRED RPM EACH TIME HE DEPARTED WITH A LOAD. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER HAD PREVIOUSLY MADE ELEVEN TAKE-OFFS AND ON EACH ONE HE HAD BLEED RPM. EACH TIME A HOVER CHECK HAD BEEN MADE AND IT WAS WITHIN ACCEPTABLE LIMITS; BUT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD LOSE RPM WHEN THEY MOVED THE CYCLIC FORWARD TO TAKEOFF. AT APPROXIMATELY 1515 HOURS THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER PICKED-UP THE AIRCRAFT, COMPLETED A HOVER CHECK, AND ELECTED TO DEPART. AS THEY WERE DEPARTING, THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER REALIZED HE WAS LOSING RPM. HOWEVER, SINCE THIS HAD HAPPENED EARLIER IN THE DAY, HE CONTINUED HIS MISSION. WO-1 WHITE TOLD 1LT CARGILE THAT HE WAS LOSING RPM RAPIDLY AND THE TORQUE WAS RISING. CARGILE SAID THAT HE WAS TRYING TO REDUCE THE TORQUE BY LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO LOSE RPM UNTIL IT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NOSE, HIGH RIGHT BANK. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RUNNING LANDING SINCE HE HAD FAIRLY GOOD AIRSPEED, 40 KNOTS; BUT ONLY 20 TO 30 FEET OF ALTITUDE. ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND THE NEEDLES WERE JOINED AT 4000 ENGINE RPM. THE SKIDS CONTACTED THE GROUND FIRST AND WERE RIPPED OFF THE AIRCRAFT. IT THEN WENT FOR APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN METERS AND HIT AN EMBANKMENT WHICH ROLLED THE AIRCRAFT OVER ONE TIME. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER, THE CREWCHIEF WAS THROWN OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT. ALL OTHER PERSONNEL STAYED WITH THE AIRCRAFT TILL THE FINAL IMPACT. AFTER FIFTEEN METERS THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST, INVERTED, AND POINTING 45 DEGREES OFF THE CRASH PATH. DURING THE CRASH SEQUENCE THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND COMPLETELY BURNED. FIRST INDICATIONS SEEMED TO POINT A DOWNWIND DEPARTURE BUT THE AREA HAD BEEN MARKED BY SMOKE AND THE PROPER APPROACH AND TAKE-OFF WERE UTILIZED FOR THE EXISTING WINDS. THUS THE FORECAST OF THE WINDS FROM THE REPORTING STATION DID NOT CONFORM TO THE SITUATION AT THE SITE OF THE ACCIDENT.\\
Description This campaign was from 1 November 1969 to 30 April 1970. An increase in enemy-initiated attacks, at the highest level since 4-5 September signaled the start of the first phase of the Communist winter campaign. This was highlighted by intensified harassment incidents, and attacks throughout the Republic of Vietnam. In November-December these were heaviest in Corps Tactical Zones III and IV (around Saigon), primarily directed against Vietnamese military installations in order to disrupt the pacification program. The most significant enemy activity occurred in November with heavy attacks upon By Prang and Duc Lap in CTZ II (Central Vietnam).
By February 1970 the focus of enemy activity began to shift to CTZ I and II. Attacks increased steadily, reaching a peak in April 1970. Hostile forces staged their heaviest attacks in the Central Highlands near Civilian Irregular Defense Group camps at Dak Seang, Dak Pek, and Ben Het in I CTZ. The enemy also conducted numerous attacks by fire and several sapper attacks against U.S. fire support bases. This high level of enemy activity began in I CTZ in April and continued through May.
During the period 1 November 1969 through 30 April 1970 U.S. and allied forces concentrated on aggressive operations to find and destroy enemy main and local forces, the penetration of base camps and installations and the seizure of enemy supplies and materiel. These operations sought to deny the enemy the initiative and to inflict heavy losses in men and materiel. Further progress was made in Vietnamization through improving the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces. As a result of these advances three brigades of the 1st U.S. Infantry Division and several major U.S.M.C. units were withdrawn from Vietnam during this period.
The enemy made several efforts to take the offensive at Dak Seang, which was attacked on 1 April 1970 and remained under siege throughout the month, and at Quang Duc in the By Prong-Duc Lap area which ended on 28 December. Only Vietnamese forces were engaged in both of these operations, the Quang Duc campaign involving some 12,000 ARVN troops. South Vietnamese forces again took the offensive on 14 April in a bold 3-day operation in the Angel's Wing area along the Cambodian border. The Vietnamese Army completed this mission in an aggressive professional manner without U.S. support-further evidence of their growing proficiency.