ONEIL WALTER JAMES

Narrative

WO Reynolds was enroute to rendezvous with the firefly aircraft north of LZ Sally. Observers at 48Q YD621304, on the ground, heard the aircraft passing to their north generally in a westerly direction, and noted that it was sputtering. The aircraft continued approximately 1,000 meters to the northwest and was observed to begin descending. A ground observer at 48Q YD599309 noted that the engine emitted an orangish glow at approximately 100 to 150 feet AGL, to his front. The aircraft struck the ground in a near level attitude and at a high rate of descent, causing the tail boom to shear. The right hand rack and support and 2.75 rocket launcher, sheared from the airframe after contacting the rice paddy dike. The right aft portion of the longitudinal skid, and the rear cross tube failed upon initial impact. Simultaneously, the crew chief was thrown violently from the aircraft. The aircraft somersaulted to the left over the nose. The left forward portion of the longitudinal skid failed. The red main rotor blade struck the ground and failed causing the transmission to shear. The aircraft continued somersaulting and turned over on the roof, approximately 33 feet from the center of impact. Fire was nearly instantaneous. Four fatalities were sustained.