A Note from The Virtual Wall Seven men were killed when a UH-1H (tail number 68-15475) of the 117th AHC crashed. The UH-1H was the Command and Control aircraft operating with three slicks and two gunships with the 151st LRP teams. The aircraft had just completed its second mission for the day and refueled at Red Catcher pad after flying for approximately one hour. After refueling, the aircraft departed Red Catcher pad and entered downwind for landing at the 151st LRRP pad located 1 mile to the east of Red Catcher at approximately 200 to 300 feet altitude. As the aircraft turned on a right base one tail rotor blade separated from the tail rotor hub. The pilot notified Plantation Tower that he had just lost his tail rotor. The aircraft continued to turn right going into a yaw and then began to spin around its vertical axis. After about three spins the rotor mast snapped and the main rotor blades fell backwards, severing the tail boom. The aircraft stopped spinning and fell straight to the ground in an upright position. Upon contact with the ground the aircraft burst into flames and was completely destroyed. The casualties were 117th AHC CPT Michael R. Reitz, Cuba, NY 1LT John E. Klingen, Northport, NY SP4 Reginald P. Begnoche, St Albans, VT SP4 Richard A. Stanley, Phoenix, AZ HHC, 2 Field Force 1LT Layne H. Connevey, Pasadena, TX D Co, 151st Inf Rgt 1LT Kenneth T. Cummings, New York, NY (Silver Star) 1LT George L. Kleiber, Danville, IN

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Last update 08/15/2019.