Helicopter Accidents


















US US Air Force accidents

List of helicopter accidents by US Air Force

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Bell 204 41
Bell 205 5
Bell 212 16
Bell V-22 Osprey 2
Kaman Huskie 3
Piasecki H-21 8
Sikorsky S-55 H-19 19
Sikorsky S-58 H-34 6
Sikorsky S-61 H-3 49
Sikorsky S-65 H-53 38
Sikorsky S-70 H-60 17


Sikorsky S-61 H-3 Accidents


YearVersionC/N
1965 ch-3c 61-532 US 64-14229 : Delivered to Naha Okinawa from a factory refit joining the 33 ARRS with 65-12777 and 65-12784; Lost during a recovery due to double compressor stall; Recovered by the Navy, and after the inquiry, believed to be scrapped on site, probably in 1970
unknown ch-3e 61-627 US 67-14725 : I was the leader of a 4 man Air Force Security Police team who were deployed to this crash site and we had to guard Jolly 725 for a week before it was able to be moved down off the mountain to the USMC Training Base. We stayed in tents and ate MRE's. We pulled eight hour shifts, making sure the civilians didn't get too close to the A/C and remove parts. Had a great time and even got in a little fishing while there.
1965 ch-3c 61-512 US 63-9680 : del USAF as CH-3C 63-9680 16Apr64; xfer 341st SMW, Malmstrom AFB, MT (SAC); Destroyed at missle site 1965.
1965 ch-3c 61-516 US 63-9684 : del USAF as CH-3C 63-9684, 04Jun64; xfer 341st SMW, Malmstrom AFB, MT (SAC); Destroyed on ground, 1965.
1965 ch-3c 61-517 US 63-9685 : 38th ARRS w/o 06nov65 hit by ground fire during CSAR of an A-1E. Was 1st Jolly Green Giant lost in combat
1966 ch-3c 61-530 US 64-14227 : w/o 1sep66
1966 ch-3c 61-534 US 64-14231 : 38th ARRS, w/o 29nov66 crashed
1966 ch-3c 61-553 US 65-12778 : w/o 20oct66 during SAR mission
1967 ch-3c 61-510 US 63-9678 : During landing at Lima Site 85, they approached from the wrong direction, hitting trees and crashed
1967 ch-3c 61-539 US 64-14236 : w/o 23aug67 was shot down supplying Lima Site 85. My dad was crew chief
1967 ch-3c 61-554 US 65-12779 : USAF; conv to HH-3E; 38th ARRS w/o 06feb67 during SAR mission
1967 hh-3e 61-577 US 66-13279 : 37th ARRS, w/o 09nov67 hit by ground fire on Laos
1967 hh-3e 61-581 US 66-13283 : 37th ARRS, w/o 27oct67 s hit by ground fire in Laos
1968 ch-3c 61-536 US 64-14233 : 1mar66
1968 ch-3c 61-557 US 65-12782 : USAF; conv HH-3E; 37th ARRS w/o 05oct68 Laos
1968 ch-3c 61-561 US 65-12786 : USAF; conv CH-3E; 37th ARRS w/o 16oct68 landed on sea after being hit but sunk by rough seas, crew rescued
1968 ch-3c 61-594 US 66-13294 : USAF; 21st SOS (56 SOW) w/o 30mar68 hit by ground fire over Laos
1968 ch-3c 61-595 US 66-13295 : USAF; 21st SOS (56 SOW) w/o 23may68 crashed near Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. 6 fatalities
1968 ch-3e 61-612 US 67-14710 : USAF; conv HH-3E; 37th ARRS w/o 09jun68 hit by ground fire near Ka Kou, Vietnam during CSAR of USMC A-4E Skyhawk. 4 fatalities, including LT Jack C. Rittichier the only USCG pilot who died in Vietnam which was in a exchange program with the USAF.
1968 hh-3e 61-580 US 66-13282 : 37th ARRS, w/o 20oct68 hit by ground fire after water landing during CSAR of F-4D
1969 ch-3c 61-504 US 62-12579 : During a mission to fly Laotian troops to a dirt landing strip at Maung Phine, Laos, the first CH-3,222 (Knife61) was starting its approach, when hit by ground fire, leading to engine failure and a crash landing. The second CH-3, 579 (Knife 62) was also hit by ground fire and lost. Jolly Green HH-3s were called in, but after one was hit by ground fire, it returned to NKP, and finally two Jolly HH-53s were able to rescue everyone before dark.
1969 ch-3c 61-507 US 62-12582 : 14mar68
1969 ch-3c 61-514 US 63-9682 : del USAF as CH-3C 63-9682 22May64; xfer 40th ARRS, Det 5, TAWC, Eglan AFB, FL; xfer 38th ARRS, Det 1, Nakhon Phanom, RTAFB, Thailand 06Jul65; xfer 3rd ARRG, 38th ARRS, Tan Son Nhut, Vietnam; Destroyed S.E.A. 20Feb69.
1969 ch-3c 61-521 US 63-9689 : 21st SOS w/o 19jan69 in Thailand
1969 ch-3c 61-525 US 64-14222 : USAF S-61R; d/d 30mar65 Tyndall AFB, Florida; Nov65 to 20th Helicopter Sq, Eglin AFB, Florida; Dec65 to Tan Son Nhut, Vietnam; pictured at flight line at Da Nang airbase, Vietnam date unknown; to Udorn AFB, Thailand unk; conv CH-3E, unk; 21st SOS w/o 06oct69 Maung Phine, Laos;
1969 ch-3c 61-540 US 64-14237 : 21st SOS w/o 26feb69 hit by ground fire in Laos during Igloo White mission
1969 ch-3c 61-542 US 65-5691 : pictured at Thailand, date unk; 21st SOS w/o 27jun69 during firefight in Laos
1969 ch-3e 61-604 US 67-14702 : USAF; 21st SOS (56 SOW) w/o 15jan69 hit by ground fire over Laos. Destroyed by US aircraft to prevent capture
1969 ch-3e 61-623 US 67-14721 : USAF; w/o 04oct69
1969 hh-3e 61-579 US 66-13281 : 37th ARRS, w/o 24oct69 hit by ground fire on Laos during CSAR of F-100F
1970 ch-3c 61-513 US 63-9681 : 18apr68
1970 ch-3c 61-560 US 65-12785 : USAF; conv HH-3E; 40th ARRS w/o 21nov70 raid POW Son Tay prison camp Operation King Pin
1970 ch-3e 61-585 US 66-13287 : 21st SOS at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB
1970 hh-3e 61-578 US 66-13280 : 37th ARRS, w/o 15apr70, South Vietnam
1973 ch-3c 61-502 US 62-12577 : Dec68-Sep69, Edwards AFB. I was assigned as a CH-3E Mechanic A4350C after training at Sheppard AFB Helicopter Mechanics school. Edwards AFB Maintenance Squadron send me there. I was assigned to CH-3E 62-12577. The Helicopter was still going through the Testing Phase. The next time I saw it was at Hickam AFB. It belong to Air America. My pilots were assigned as accident investigators to fly to an Island where they found the rotor head laying on the runway on top of the what was left of the Helicopter. We were told that they lock the doors after landing and walked away. Later the Helicopter exploded for no apparent reason
1974 ch-3e 61-651 US 69-5807 : USAF; conv HH-3E; w/o 06dec74 Portage Pass Anchorage, Alaska. Pilot killed
1978 ch-3e 61-644 US 69-5800 : Unfortunately this helicopter was lost in inclement weather in upstate NY outside of now closed Plattsburg AFB. At the time of loss there were seven personnel on board and all were lost due to the crash. Lost seven good friends that summer day.
1979 ch-3e 61-618 US 67-14716 : Aircraft was on rescue mission north of Reykjavik from a crashed Cessna 172. On second trip to crash site the H-3 succumbed to dual compressor stall due to icing. Aircraft was total loss. No fatalities. Pilot in Command Capt Charles K Singleton
1981 hh-3e 61-628 US 68-8282 : USAF; 38 ARRS w/o 1981
1984 ch-3b 61-145 US 212574 : w/o 3aug84 with HS-6.
1989 ch-3c 61-543 US 65-5692 : 22dec67
1990 ch-3c 61-526 US 64-14223 : 3aug72
1991 ch-3c 61-550 US 65-5699 : 28oct71
1991 ch-3e 61-621 US 67-14719 : Crashed in the sea during night operations off the coast of Okinawa. Of the four crew aboard, the flight instructor survived. The pilot, copilot and flight engineer perished. The flight engineer was never recovered. The aircraft sank in over 1000 feet of water but was recovered by the US Navy
1992 ch-3c 61-529 US 64-14226 : 1aug68
1993 ch-3e 61-653 US 69-5809 : USAF; conv HH-3E; 33 RQS w/o 01sep93
1996 ch-3c 61-531 US 64-14228 : 9feb68
2000 ch-3c 61-558 ZK-HYK : w/o Feb00 during log lifting; Fuselage stored at Palmerston North International airport, New Zealand
2002 ch-3c 61-552 TN : Tunisia, ex USAF 65-12777; w/o Apr02 crash into river, 12 killed

    49 C/N found.


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