Helicopter OH-13S 64-15417

Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-13S tail number 64-15417
The Army purchased this helicopter 1065
Total flight hours at this point: 00001233
Date: 10/18/68
Incident number: 681018171ACD Accident case number: 681018171 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: C/1/9 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Camp Evans in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 2 . . Injured = 8 . . Passengers = 8
costing 140440
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. )
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
P W1 JELICH JA
CE E4 LAMB RF
OB 1LT BICKFORD RICHARD OLIVER KIA

Passengers:
UNK UNK, UNK, D; UNK UNK, UNK, D; UNK UNK, UNK, D; UNK UNK, UNK, D; UNK UNK, UNK, D; UNK UNK, UNK, D; CPL LANGENHORST HERBERT CYRIL, AR, UN, KIA;

Accident Summary:

The aircraft departed LZ Evans at approximately 0920 hours. It was a reconnaissance mission, until he was requested to land at the location of the infantry unit and pick up the commander. They were to recon the route to a downed AH-1G, the objective of the infantry unit. This was a confined LZ on sloping terrain. The pilot made his approach to the north as dictated by the gusty winds and turbulence. He touched down with the toes of the skids against the slope. As he began to lower collective to set the aircraft down, it began to slide backwards, down the slope. At this point the tail pitched up, the skids raised clear of the ground, and the aircraft began to accelerate forward. The main rotor contacted the ground and brush in front of the aircraft. It continued to pitch forward and somersaulted onto its back. It began to burn almost instantly. The observer was able to free himself from the wreckage, with only minor burns, cuts and bruises. The pilot was trapped in the burning wreckage for approximately ten minutes. He, as well as his observer, was protected by Nomex flight clothing. He miraculously escaped with relatively minor burns, cuts and abrasions. The infantry unit was all around the aircraft as he came to a hover. When he pitched forward, parts of the aircraft and debris from the trees struck numerous persons. Two of these received fatal injuries, six of them were seriously injured

This record was last updated on 04/14/99

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: 1LT Richard Oliver Bickford
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/18/68 while performing the duty of Aerial Observer.
Age at death: 25.4
Date of Birth: 05/08/43
Home City: Danbury, CT
Service: IN branch of the regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Service: IN branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 41W-072
Aircraft: OH-13S tail number 64-15417
Service number: OF111434
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1542 = 15 Infantry Unit Commander
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew member
Started Tour: 06/13/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Quang Tri Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 08/25/96

Name: CPL Herbert Cyril Langenhorst (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/18/68.
Age at death: 22.1
Date of Birth: 09/21/46
Home City: Germantown, IL
Service: component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: C/1/9 CAV 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 41W-074
Aircraft: OH-13S tail number 64-15417
Service number: 56590044
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 11B10 = Infantryman
Compliment cause: unknown
Started Tour: 05/15/68
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - non-aircrew
Location: Quang Tri Province I Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 07/30/95

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter OH-13S tail number 64-15417
It is provided here as an ESTIMATE of the history of this helicopter and is not intended to be the final authority.
This helicopter was purchased by the US Army in 1065.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6610  49  424 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6611  35  459 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6612   0  459 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6701   1  460 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6702  44  504 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6703  59  563 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6704  37  600 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6705   0  600 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6706  74  674 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6707  68  742 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6708  38  780 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6709  74  854 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6710 100  954 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6711  96 1050 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6712   6 1056 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6801  32 1088 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6802   0 1088 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6803  11 1099 WARJAA HQ 173AIRBN BDE  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6804  16 1115 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN     
6805   0 1115 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN     
6806   0 1115 WCLNAA 79 TRANS CO      VIETNAM                     RVN     
6807  63 1178 3261   OPM SEA NITEOPS  1ST ARMY   FORT BELVOIR     AMC     
6808  19 1197 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6809  36 1233 WAGTC0 TRPC1SQ9CAV1CAV  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6810   0 1233 WC5GAA 610 TRANS CO     VIETNAM                     RVN

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Printed from databases on: 01/24/02

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