1971 — Aug 18, USAF Chinook helicopter loses blade/crashes, ~Pegnitz, W. Germany-all 37

— 37 Baugher, Joseph F. 1966 USAF Serial Numbers. 1-16-2012 revision.
— 37 Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “Copter Crash Kills 37 GIs.” 8-18-1971, p. 1.
— 37 Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”
— 37 Corpus Christi Times, TX. “Two Texans in Crash of Helicopter.” 8-20-1971, 2C.
— 37 Daily Courier, Connellsville, PA. “Pennsylvanians Killed in Helicopter Disaster.” 8-20-71
— 37 European Stars and Stripes. “Rotor Blade Crack Caused Fatal Copter Crash.” 9-23-1971.
— 37 Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 108-109.
— 37 Laurel Leader-Call, MS. “Release Names of Dead GIs.” 8-20-1971, pp. 1-2.
— 37 Sheboygan Press, WI. “List Names of Midwest Crash Dead.” 8-20-1971, 17.
— 37 Syracuse Post Standard, NY. “List 2 Area Men Killed.” 8-21-1971, p. 23.
— 37 The News, Frederick, MD. “Hagerstown Man on Crashed Copter.” 8-20-1971, B12.
— 37 Titusville Herald, PA. “U.S. Copter Crash Kills 37 in Germany.” 8-19-1971, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Baugher: “Boeing-Vertol CH-47A Chinook….19023 (B.281, 714th) crashed near Pegnitz, West Germany Aug 18, 1971. 37 killed.” (Baugher, Joe F. 1966 USAF Serial Numbers. 1-16-2012 revision.)

Chinook-helicopter.com: “The crash occurred when elements of the Heavy Mortar Platoon, Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, were being transported from Ludwigsburg to Grafenwoehr for live fire training exercises. At some point enroute, the aft rotor system malfunctioned and the helicopter crashed and exploded, killing all 37 soles on board. An aft rotor blade was slung from the rotor head.

“At some point prior to the accident a blade on the aft rotor system was determined unserviceable and condemned. The blade was removed and turned into the supply system. Through some sort of clerical error, it has been reported the same blade was received via the supply system and reinstalled on the 66-19023. While enroute to Grafenwoehr, the blade failed.”
(Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)

Gero:
“Date: 18 August 1971 (c. 09:40)….
“Location: Near Pegnitz, West Germany
“Operator: US Army
“Aircraft type: Boeing/Vertol CH-47A (66-19023)

“All 37 American servicemen aboard perished, including a crew of five, when the turbine- engine helicopter, which was flying between two military installations, from Dolan Barracks, near Ludwigsburg, to the training area near Grafenwohr, crashed and burned 20 miles (30km) north-west of its intended destination, and about 25 miles (40km) north-east of Nurnberg.

“The aircraft had been cruising under visual flight rules procedures at an estimated air speed of around 115mph (185kph) and on a north-easterly heading when an aft main rotor blade separated at the root, the structural failure occurring at an altitude of 2,700ft (820m), or approximately 1,000ft (300m) above the ground. It then plunged into the rolling terrain in a nose-first, inverted attitude, with its fuselage at an angle of around 45 degrees.

“The rotor failure was attributed to a fatigue fracture of the subject blade root, which originated on the bottom side and extended in a chordwise direction for about 7 inches (3cm). Although its age was unknown, the crack must have existed for a sufficient period of time to allow a considerable amount of corrosion to accumulate in about half the area of the fracture face.” (Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 108-109.)

Newspapers:

Aug 18: “Pegnitz, Germany (AP) — A U.S. army transport helicopter with 37 men aboard exploded in the air Wednesday near the Grafenwoehr training area and there were no survivors, the army reported. Witnesses said the helicopter broke in two after the explosion and the fiery wreckage fell to earth at the edge of a woods between this Bavarian city and the Nuremberg-Berlin autobahn.

“A spokesman at Grafenwoehr, 12 miles cast of the crash site, said the Chinook helicopter was on a training flight from Regensburg to Grafenwoehr. A spokesman for the army’s European command in Heidelberg said the helicopter carried a crew of four and 33 members of the 56th artillery brigade.

“The helicopter belonged to the army’s 4th aviation battalion of the 15th aviation group at Schwaebish-Hall.

“Anton Klement, owner of a hotel 500 yards from the crash site, said he was eating when he heard an explosion. ‘I looked out the window and saw the blades of the rearmost engine of the helicopter had been blown away,’ he said. ‘The forward blades were still turning as the helicopter hurtled toward the ground. The whirling blades sawed off parts from trees before the machine hit the ground and exploded.’ After alerting police, Klement said he rushed to the crash scene… ‘The woods were afire and I couldn’t get too close because there were repeated explosions. There must have been ammunition on board,’ he said. ‘There was nothing more of the helicopter to be seen. The wreckage was spread over an area of about 800 to 1,000 yards. The bodies lay in a radius of about 200 yards. No one was alive when I got there.’

“Klement said it took a half hour before two fire engines arrived on the scene, about 200 yards from the autobahn. Firemen fought the flames for two hours as it spread into the woods.” (Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “Copter Crash Kills 37 GIs.” 8-18-1971, p. 1.)

Aug 19: “Pegnitz, Germany (AP) — A U.S. Army helicopter carrying American troops to a field exercise exploded in the air Wednesday, plunged into a hayfield; and all 37 soldiers aboard perished in the flaming wreckage. It was the worst training accident involving American troops in West Germany since the end of World War II.

“The twin-engine CH47 Chinook helicopter was en route from Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, to the Grafenwoehr training site near the Czechoslovak border. Aboard were a crew of 4 and 33 members of the 56th Artillery Brigade, said a spokesman for the U.S. Army European Command in Heidelberg.

“Several hours after the crash military police said 12 bodies still had not been found.

“Witnesses said the helicopter exploded, lost its rear rotor in flight and plunged about 600 feet, smashing, into the earth near a clump of trees. The fuselage burst into flames.

“Military authorities said the cause of the accident had not been determined….

“Bavarian police who reached the scene less than 10 minutes after the 4:45 a.m. crash, said all aboard burned to death.

“The helicopter crashed in an area of rolling hills about a mile from this town of 9,000 population. The crash site was about 500 yards from the heavily traveled Munich-Berlin autobahn and 12 miles from Grafenwoehr.

“The helicopter belonged to the 4th Aviation Battalion of the 15th Aviation Group stationed in the south German town of Schwaebish Hall.” (Titusville Herald, PA. “U.S. Copter Crash Kills 37 in Germany.” 8-19-1971, p. 1.)

Aug 20: “Heidelberg, Germany (AP)…The Texans [killed] were: Sgt. Harold Dean Dillaman, Jr., 20. Wife, Martha, Lampasas. Spec. Fernando Apodaca, 28. Wife, Soledad, and parents, Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Apodaca, El Paso.” (Corpus Christi Times, TX. “Two Texans in Crash of Helicopter.” 8-20-1971, 2C.)

Aug 20: “Headquarters…U.S. Army in Europe has announced the names of the 37 Servicemen killed in Wednesday’s crash of a CH47 helicopter near Pegnitz in Bavaria. Among the victims were Sgt. Harold Dean Dillaman Jr., 30, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold D. Dillaman of Grove City…, whose wife Martha lives in Lampasas, Texas; Pfc. Ronald Franklin School, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank G. School of Pleasant Mills…and husband of Mrs. Karen School of Germany; and Pfc. Raymond Howard Cork, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard J. Cork of New Holland…” (Daily Courier, Connellsville, PA. “Pennsylvanians Killed in Helicopter Disaster.” 8-20-1971, 13.)

Aug 20: “….The passengers in the aircraft listed below were all members of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry, at Kornwestheim, near Stuttgart. They were:

Sgt. Christopher Walter Pyzik, 21. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter J. Pyzik…Cicero, Ill.
Spec. 5 Russell Lowell Schober, 23. Parents, Mr./Mrs. Chester A. Schober…Shakopee, Mich.
PFC. Samuel Mansfield Cherry, 21. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter L. Cherry…Winnetka, Ill.
PFC. David Paul Dinks, 19. Father, Earl J. Kunds, Rt. 1, Oneida, Wis.
PFC. Lawrence Harold Karaschin, 21. Wife, Pricilla…Parents, Mr./Mrs. Harold H. Karaschin…
Detroit, Mich.
PFC/David A, Person 21. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Person, of 514 Water St., Mauston, Wis.
PFC. Jeffrey Mathias Vickerman, 23. Parents, Mr./Mrs. Glenard L. Vickerman…Long Lake,
Minn.”
(Sheboygan Press, WI. “List Names of Midwest Crash Dead.” 8-20-1971, 17.)

Aug 20: “….One of the victims was a Maryland man from Hagerstown. He was Pfc. David Wayne Stover, 23, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Stover.” (The News, Frederick, MD. “Hagerstown Man on Crashed Copter.” 8-20-1971, B12.)

Named Fatalities

1. Ailstock, Pfc. Vernon L., Jr., 22, Arlington, VA. (Laurel Leader-Call, MS. 8-20-71)
2. Angetini, SP5 Lawrence J. (crew) (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
3. Annis, Pfc. Michael L. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
4. Apodaca, SP4. Fernando, 28, El Paso, TX (Corpus Christi Times, TX. 8-20-1971, 2C)
5. Bowerman, Sgt. Terry Ellis, 24, St. Petersburg FL (Laurel Leader-Call, MS. 8-20-71)
6. Cherry, Pfc. Samuel Mansfield, 21. Winnetka, IL (Sheboygan Press, WI. 8-20-1971)
7. Connors, Pfc. Mark P. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
8. Cork, Pfc. Raymond Howard, 21, New Holland, PA (Daily Courier, Connellsville PA.)
9. Dillaman, Sgt. Harold Dean Jr., 30, Grove City, PA Corpus Christi Times, TX.)
10. Dinks [or Dunks], Pfc. David Paul, 19. Oneida, WI (Sheboygan Press, WI. 8-20-71)
11. Echterling, 1st Lt. John E. Jr. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
12. Egelund, Pfc. John P. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
13. Ferraro, Dennis A. (crew). (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
14. Fife, Pfc. Charles E. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
15. Gadbois, Pfc. Raymond Terrence, 21, Woodlawn Plain, Clinton, NY. (Syracuse Post)
16. Gongaware, Sgt. George Jacob, 24, Miami, FL (Laurel Leader-Call, MS. 8-20-1971)
17. Hartman, Pfc. Roger Mardison, 20, Roanoke, VA. (Laurel Leader-Call, MS. 8-20-71)
18. Hensley, Capt. James, 30 (crew), Ellijay, GA (Laurel Leader-Call, MS. 8-20-1971)
19. Hickson, Pfc. Paul Edward, 24, Ithaca, NY. (Syracuse Post Standard, NY. 8-21-1971.
20. Karaschin, Pfc. Lawrence Harold, 21. Detroit, MI (Sheboygan Press, WI. 8-20-1971)
21. Kearney Pfc Arthur R. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
22. Landry, Pfc. Eric L. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
23. Monnin, Pfc. Edward A. Jr. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
24. Nichols, Pfc. Eddie W. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
25. Perry, CWO James H. (crew) (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
26. Person, Pfc. David A., 21. Mauston, WI (Sheboygan Press, WI. 8-20-1971)
27. Pestka, Pfc Ronald R. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
28. Pittard, 1st Lt. Henry Lamar Jr., 23, Athens GA (Laurel Leader-Call, MS. 8-20-1971)
29. Pyzik, Sgt. Christopher Walter, 21, Cicero, IL (Sheboygan Press, WI. 8-20-1971)
30. Schober, Spec. 5 Russell L., 23, Shakopee, MI (Sheboygan Press, WI. 8-20-1971)
31. School [or Scholl], Pfc. Ronald Franklin 21. Pleasant Mills, PA (Daily Courier, PA.)
32. Smith, S. Sgt. Paten Louis, 26, Memphis, TN (Laurel Leader-Call, MS. 8-20-1971)
33. Stover [or Slaver], Pfc. David Wayne, 23, Hagerstown, MD (News, Frederick MD)
34. Velez, Pfc. Noel. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
35. Vickerman, Pfc. Jeffrey Mathias, 23, Long Lake, MN (Sheboygan Press, WI.)
36. West, Pfc. Clarence C. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)
37. Willis, Pfc. Richard. (Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.”)

Sources

Baugher, Joseph F. 1966 USAF Serial Numbers. 1-16-2012 revision. Accessed 2-28-2012 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1966.html

Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “Copter Crash Kills 37 GIs.” 8-18-1971, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=45968378

Chinook-helicopter.com. “66-19023.” Accessed 3-2-2012 at:
http://www.chinook-helicopter.com/history/aircraft/A_Models/66-19023/66-19023.html

Corpus Christi Times, TX. “Two Texans in Crash of Helicopter [Pegnitz, Germany].” 8-20-1971, 2C. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=86803411

Daily Courier, Connellsville, PA. “Pennsylvanians Killed in Helicopter Disaster [Germany].” 8-20-1971, 13. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=33114700

European Stars and Stripes, Darmstadt, Germany. “Rotor Blade Crack Caused Fatal Copter Crash.” 9-23-1971. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com

Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. UK and Newbury Park, CA: Patrick Stephens Limited, an imprint of Hayes Publishing, 1999.

Laurel Leader-Call, MS. “Release Names of Dead GIs [USAF Helicopter Crash, Pegnitz, Germany].” 8-20-1971, pp. 1-2. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/laurel-leader-call/1971-08-20/

Sheboygan Press, WI. “List Names of Midwest Crash Dead [USAF Chinook Crash, Germany].” 8-20-1971, 17. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=17143634

Syracuse Post Standard, NY. “List 2 Area Men Killed [USAF Chinook explosion, Pegnitz, Germany].” 8-21-1971, p. 23. http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=18822394

The News, Frederick, MD. “Hagerstown Man on Crashed Copter,” 8-20-1971, B12. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=33628161

Titusville Herald, PA. “U.S. Copter Crash Kills 37 in Germany.” 8-19-1971, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=105948108