U. S. ARMY H-21C VERTOL SHAWNEE HELICOPTER 56-8630 BIG MEADOWS, VIRGINIA, 2 DECEMBER 1959
Abstract
A U. S. Army H21-C 'Shawnee' helicopter crashed while ferrying combat troops from Shannon Airport in Fredericksburg to Big Meadows, Virginia, on 2 December 1959. At the time of the crash, there were three crew members and twelve passengers aboard the aircraft. The copilot was fatally injured; the pilot and ten of the passengers received injuries ranging from minor to serious; three passengers were uninjured. A crash injury investigation conducted by Aviation Crash Injury Research revealed that the predominant causes of injuries were failures of seats and seat belts. As a result of the investigation, it was concluded that if properly designed and installed seats and restraining devices, in both the cockpit and cabin, had been provided, this accident probably would have resulted in only minor injuries. The investigation found, also, that relatively minor damage to the basic aircraft structure resulted from the crash and that the occupiable area of the aircraft (with the exception of the seats and restraining devices) was almost completely intact.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1960
- Accession Number
- AD0824352
Entities
People
- Gerard M. Bruggink
- Harold F. Roegner
- Jack Carroll
- William R. Knowles