ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 76885
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| Date: | Wednesday 29 April 1970 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Bell OH-58A Kiowa |
| Owner/operator: | 17th Cav, 3rd Sqn, C Troop, US Army |
| Registration: | 68-16844 |
| MSN: | 40158 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Xuan Loc, Binh Tuy Province, South Vietnam -
 Vietnam
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Di Ann, South Vietnam |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Destroyed in combat 29 April 1970: Crashed after hitting water flying low level over a lake at Xuan Lec, Binh Tuy Province, South Vietnam. One of the three (the pilot) crew was KIA, the other two (CE and Observer) were seriously injured.
Contemporary newspaper reports name the KIA fatality as the pilot, CW2 Willard S. Cannon II. According to the official DoD records:
"THE AIRCRAFT WAS AN ELEMENT OF A HUNTER/KILLER TEAM CONSISTING OF AN OH-58A AND AN AH-1G. THIS TEAM DEPARTED DI AN, SVN AT 07:30 HOURS EN-ROUTE TO XUAN LOC, SVN WITH A MISSION TO PROVIDE RECONNAISSANCE FOR THE 199TH LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE. THE TEAM ARRIVED IN XUAN LOC AND REFUELED THEN WENT ON STANDBY UNTIL ABOUT 10:30 HOURS. AT ABOUT 10:30 HOURS, THE TEAM DEPARTED FOR A FIRE SUPPORT BASE TO THE NE OF XUAN LOC.
UPON ARRIVAL, THE TEAM LANDED BUT THEN TOOK OFF AGAIN AS A CH-47 WAS READY TO DEPART AND THEY WISHED TO AVOID THE TURBULENCE. WHILE ON CLIMB OUT, THE AH-1G WAS DIVERTED TO COVER AN INSERTION. THE OH-58A PILOT CLIMBED TO 3,000 FEET TO INFORM HIS OPERATIONS OF THE CHANGE IN MISSION AND THAT HE WOULD REMAIN ON STATION.
THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO FLY OVER AN AREA OF SMALL LAKES AND PRACTICE DROPPING GRENADES. HE DESCENDED TO AN ALTITUDE BETWEEN 1,500 AND 1,000 FEET, INDICATED. FROM THIS POINT, WITNESS STATEMENTS CONFLICT AND ACTIONS PRIOR TO STRIKING THE WATER CANNOT BE POSITIVELY STATED. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK WITH THE RIGHT SKID NOSE LOW HEADING 130 AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AT AN ANGLE OF ABOUT 25 DEG.
THE RIGHT SKID TORE OFF TAKING WITH IT, THE CROSS TUBE AND A SECTION OF THE CO-PILOT'S FLOOR AND CO-PILOT'S CYCLIC CONTROLS. THE BELLY TORE OUT AS THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED FORWARD TAKING THE FUEL CELL AND PERSONAL EQUIPMENT WITH IT. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED FOR ABOUT 30 MORE METERS, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM TWICE AND SEVERED IT 4 FEET FORWARD OF THE TAIL ROTOR. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED IN ABOUT 24 INCHES OF WATER. THE TAIL BOOM FELL 20 METERS FROM THIS PORTION ON A HEADING OF 200 DEGREES. THERE WAS NO FIRE".
Sources:
1. http://www.armyaircrews.com/kiowa_nam.html
2. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1968.html
3. https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=42735
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Sep-2010 14:30 | ASN Archive | |
| 17-Apr-2015 20:21 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
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