"We're Crashing! We're Crashing"
Audiotape of mission to insert Ranger team
(Review summary, play audio and follow transcript below)
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Central Highlands, Vietnam--1970
Summary: One fixed-wing airplane (Command and Control), two Huey helicopters (one with a 5-man Ranger team), and two Cobra gunships were flying between two mountains on a mission to surreptitiously insert a Ranger Team in the valley. It was raining. The team helicopter was flying at tree-top level whereas the other aircraft were just below the 200-foot cloud ceiling. Before the team could be inserted, the weather closed in on all sides forcing the helicopters and gunships to make a 180 and try to climb out. The fixed-wing aircraft, flying high above the team helicopter, was able to fly around the mountain to clear air. The lead Cobra, with no visibility, lost control and reported that they were crashing. With no response to efforts to contact, SpeedyDealer 28 (Lt. Grimes) reported an aircraft down.
The audiotape was recorded by the lead Cobra and includes talk between the pilot and co-pilot (intercom) along with all inter-aircraft talk (UHF) and air to ground (VHF)--making for considerable cross-talk.
Recording was made by Blackhawk 26. Radio traffic included FM (between Rangers and aircraft), UHF (between aircraft), and Intercom (between pilot and co-pilot of Blackhawk 26) __________________________________________
First part of tape is take-off from Phan Thiet with Tower talking to Blackhawk 26. Then the action starts at 1:42.
Summary: One fixed-wing airplane (Command and Control), two Huey helicopters (one with a 5-man Ranger team), and two Cobra gunships were flying between two mountains on a mission to surreptitiously insert a Ranger Team in the valley. It was raining. The team helicopter was flying at tree-top level whereas the other aircraft were just below the 200-foot cloud ceiling. Before the team could be inserted, the weather closed in on all sides forcing the helicopters and gunships to make a 180 and try to climb out. The fixed-wing aircraft, flying high above the team helicopter, was able to fly around the mountain to clear air. The lead Cobra, with no visibility, lost control and reported that they were crashing. With no response to efforts to contact, SpeedyDealer 28 (Lt. Grimes) reported an aircraft down.
The audiotape was recorded by the lead Cobra and includes talk between the pilot and co-pilot (intercom) along with all inter-aircraft talk (UHF) and air to ground (VHF)--making for considerable cross-talk.
- Seahorse 26 (O-1 Birddog pilot—vectoring White 33 into landing zone)
- Blackhawk 6 (Commander of gunships—flying in Huey slick and backup of White 33)
- Blackhawk 26 (Lead Cobra gunship) Cross-talk between pilot and front seat.
- Blackhawk 26A (Second Cobra gunship.)
- White 33 (UH-1 Huey with Ranger Team on board)
- SpeedyDealer 28 (Lt. Grimes. Command and Control—back seat of Birddog guiding Seahorse 26)
- SpeedyDealer X-Ray (Relay station between teams on the ground and HQ.)
Recording was made by Blackhawk 26. Radio traffic included FM (between Rangers and aircraft), UHF (between aircraft), and Intercom (between pilot and co-pilot of Blackhawk 26) __________________________________________
First part of tape is take-off from Phan Thiet with Tower talking to Blackhawk 26. Then the action starts at 1:42.
Blackhawk 26A: Roger….north side of the highway. Just Stay on the north said of the highway and we’ll be safe.
Blackhawk 26: Roger. North side of the highway.
(Garble)
Seahorse 26: Roger. 33 with you?
Blackhawk 26 (?): That’s affirmative.
Seahorse 26 to Cobras: Due to the restricted visibility and low cloud layer I think it will be better if I come up and you follow me in and I’ll talk 33 into the LZ and bring him on a downwind leg and then he can make his base and final approach
Blackhawk 26: Okay. You’re going to talk to him on uniform? (UHF Radio)
Seahorse 26: Roger
Blackhawk 26: Okay. We’re right over the city (Song Mao) at this time.
Seahorse 26: Okay, roger. Uh 33. Seahorse 26
White 33: This is 33.
Seahorse 26. Uh the weather is uh 200-foot ceiling with rain, visibility is one to two miles. The wind is out of the west.
White 33: Roger.
Seahorse 26. Okay. Uh (garble) I think if you just follow me in and I’ll bring you on a downwind leg on the LZ, give you a chance to look it over, then make your base and turn the final.
White 33: 33 Roger.
Seahorse 26. Looks a little tight on that LZ, I think.
Blackhawk 26. This is ridiculous (pilot to co-pilot re weather)
Blackhawk 26. You said it. (co-pilot to pilot)
White 33: Eh, Seahorse.
Seahorse 26: Blackhawk 26, Seahorse 26, Am I clear of you now?
Blackhawk 26: That’s affirmative I’m off to your 10 O’Clock position.
Seahorse 26: Okay, It is soupy out here.
Blackhawk 26: Gawd damn (co-pilot to pilot re weather)
Blackhawk 26: You inbound at this time, uh 33?
White 33: That’s affirmative, I’m inbound, uh, if I can find the LZ
Blackhawk 26: Roger
Blackhawk 26: Oh Boy (pilot re worsening weather)
Blackhawk 26: Better go up and climb to the left (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Yeah. We ain’t gonna do no shootin in this! (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Fuck no. (pilot to co-pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Up a little bit more… (co-pilot to pilot)
Weather suddenly closes in.
White 33: This is 33. We’re doing a go around. I can’t see through my windshield.
Blackhawk 6: Okay
Blackhawk 25 Goin Ace… (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: 26 is breaking off to the right.
Unintelligble instructions from 6 about lights?
Blackhawk 26: I got em on
Blackhawk 26A: I got em on.
Blackhawk 26A: Ridiculous
Blackhawk 26: Go up hooch, quick. (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: I can see the trees. (pilot to co-pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Okay, Well you have another ridgeline coming up. (co-pilot to pilot.)
Blackhawk 26: As a matter at this time I’m IFR (instrument flight reading) I’m climbing out.
Blackhawk 6: 33 head back out to the low ground.
White 33. Roger. Going to. Right down through this pass.
Blackhawk 6: 6 going up.
Blackhawk 26: Got your air speed? (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: I got it. (pilot to co-pilot)
Seahorse 26: Blackhawk, Seahorse 26. I’ll meet you down at Song Mao
Blackhawk 6: Roger
Blackhawk 26: Come on baby. You got it. No sweat. (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 6: 33. Where are you headed now?
White 33. Uh, 33, I’m headed right back out the way we came up though here
Blackhawk 6: Roger. I’m on your tail.
Blackhawk 26: Keep climbing up a little bit Ace. (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Keep going on. No sweat. Hang on.
White 33 (?): 26 alfa, I lost you and weather closed in (garble) and going IFR
Blackhawk 26: Now zero it out babe. Zero it out. That’s it. (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 6: Blackhawk 6 is at 210.
Blackhawk 26: Stay to the coast…
Blackhawk 26: I’m going straight north at this time babe (pilot to co-pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Okay. Hang in there Ace. (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 6. Uh. 33 I’ve got you, uh 26 you have both of yours?
Blackhawk 26: That’s a negative. I can’t see a damn thing!
Blackhawk 26: Watch it! We’re crashing! We’re crashing!
Blackhawk 26: 6 this is 26. We’re crashing at this time!
Blackhawk 26: No, No. We’ve got it. No sweat.
Blackhawk 26: Going up.
Blackhawk 26: No Sweat! Hang in there with your power (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Okay, okay I got it (pilot to co-pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Okay. You got it. No sweat. Hang in their Ace (co-pilot to pilot)
26A This is…(unintelligible)
Blackhawk 26: You Fucking A.
Blackhawk 6: 26 Is this you?
Blackhawk 26: Roger. Wait. We’re in trouble, babe. We’re in trouble.
Blackhawk 6: 26. This is 6.
Blackhawk 26: Keep it up high. Eh. Gimme it! Gimme it! (co-pilot to pilot.)
Blackhawk 26: You got it; you got it… (pilot to co-pilot)
Speedy Dealer 28: Speedydealer, uh, Speedydealer X-Ray. We have an aircraft down. I say again, we have an aircraft down, pass that back to… (Speedydealer could only hear “we’re crashing” on UHF and then no response from Blackhawk 26.)
Blackhawk 26: Look over, Rich. Look over. (pilot to co-pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Okay I’ve got it. (co-pilot to pilot).
SpeedyDealer X-Ray: Pass it on back to SpeedyDealer…
Blackhawk 26: I’ve got it…Okay. No sweat, no sweat. Keep it up a little high. Keep it up high. (co-pilot to pilot.)
Blackhawk 26A. 6 This is 26 Alfa. I’m on your tail. Do you know where 26 is?
Blackhawk 6: Negative, I’m going right back in there.
Blackhawk 26: Beautiful. Go to the right hooch. Wait a minute. Go that way. It’s clear. (co-pilot to pilot)
SpeedyDealer 28. The weather closed in on us and, uh, as far as we know the aircraft is down.
Blackhawk 26: Negative, negative. This is Blackhawk 26.
SpeedyDealer X-Ray: Roger…
Blackhawk 26: I’ve got the aircraft now.
Blackhawk 6, 26. This is 6.
Blackhawk 26: This is 26. Everything’s safe. We’re all right.
Blackhawk 26: Okay, Ace. Beautiful, beautiful. (co-pilot to pilot.)
Blackhawk 26: Okay. I’m right off your 12 O’Clock, 11 O’Clock right now.
Roger. I got the uh…no sweat..
Blackhawk 26A. All right Butch. Climb up to at least two thousand two hundred feet and head south.
Blackhawk 26. Okay. I’ve got a clearing over this ridge. I’m heading out two one zero at this time.
Blackhawk 6. At 2,000 feet and I’m right behind you.
Blackhawk 26: Okay. I’ve got you in sight.
Blackhawk 26A. I’m on your nose butch. You got me?
Blackhawk 26. Negative. Okay I’ve got you.
Blackhawk 26A. Okay. Come on out, chief.
Blackhawk 26: Oh Christ. (pilot)
Blackhawk 26: jesus h fucking christ was that close. Oh jesus christ (co-pilot)
Blackhawk 6: …on top of this thing. Where are you?
Blackhawk 26A: I’m off 26’s nose. I’ve got him. He’s out. No sweat. Come on out 6.
Blackhawk 6: All right. I’m right behind him.
SpeedyDealer X-Ray. You got them all in?
Blackhawk 26A. Roger. Everyone is in.
When Blackhawk 26 landed at the airstrip in Song Mao, they had tree branches and leaves stuck in their struts. Apparently, they came extremely close to tripping over the trees and crashing.
Blackhawk 26: Roger. North side of the highway.
(Garble)
Seahorse 26: Roger. 33 with you?
Blackhawk 26 (?): That’s affirmative.
Seahorse 26 to Cobras: Due to the restricted visibility and low cloud layer I think it will be better if I come up and you follow me in and I’ll talk 33 into the LZ and bring him on a downwind leg and then he can make his base and final approach
Blackhawk 26: Okay. You’re going to talk to him on uniform? (UHF Radio)
Seahorse 26: Roger
Blackhawk 26: Okay. We’re right over the city (Song Mao) at this time.
Seahorse 26: Okay, roger. Uh 33. Seahorse 26
White 33: This is 33.
Seahorse 26. Uh the weather is uh 200-foot ceiling with rain, visibility is one to two miles. The wind is out of the west.
White 33: Roger.
Seahorse 26. Okay. Uh (garble) I think if you just follow me in and I’ll bring you on a downwind leg on the LZ, give you a chance to look it over, then make your base and turn the final.
White 33: 33 Roger.
Seahorse 26. Looks a little tight on that LZ, I think.
Blackhawk 26. This is ridiculous (pilot to co-pilot re weather)
Blackhawk 26. You said it. (co-pilot to pilot)
White 33: Eh, Seahorse.
Seahorse 26: Blackhawk 26, Seahorse 26, Am I clear of you now?
Blackhawk 26: That’s affirmative I’m off to your 10 O’Clock position.
Seahorse 26: Okay, It is soupy out here.
Blackhawk 26: Gawd damn (co-pilot to pilot re weather)
Blackhawk 26: You inbound at this time, uh 33?
White 33: That’s affirmative, I’m inbound, uh, if I can find the LZ
Blackhawk 26: Roger
Blackhawk 26: Oh Boy (pilot re worsening weather)
Blackhawk 26: Better go up and climb to the left (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Yeah. We ain’t gonna do no shootin in this! (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Fuck no. (pilot to co-pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Up a little bit more… (co-pilot to pilot)
Weather suddenly closes in.
White 33: This is 33. We’re doing a go around. I can’t see through my windshield.
Blackhawk 6: Okay
Blackhawk 25 Goin Ace… (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: 26 is breaking off to the right.
Unintelligble instructions from 6 about lights?
Blackhawk 26: I got em on
Blackhawk 26A: I got em on.
Blackhawk 26A: Ridiculous
Blackhawk 26: Go up hooch, quick. (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: I can see the trees. (pilot to co-pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Okay, Well you have another ridgeline coming up. (co-pilot to pilot.)
Blackhawk 26: As a matter at this time I’m IFR (instrument flight reading) I’m climbing out.
Blackhawk 6: 33 head back out to the low ground.
White 33. Roger. Going to. Right down through this pass.
Blackhawk 6: 6 going up.
Blackhawk 26: Got your air speed? (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: I got it. (pilot to co-pilot)
Seahorse 26: Blackhawk, Seahorse 26. I’ll meet you down at Song Mao
Blackhawk 6: Roger
Blackhawk 26: Come on baby. You got it. No sweat. (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 6: 33. Where are you headed now?
White 33. Uh, 33, I’m headed right back out the way we came up though here
Blackhawk 6: Roger. I’m on your tail.
Blackhawk 26: Keep climbing up a little bit Ace. (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Keep going on. No sweat. Hang on.
White 33 (?): 26 alfa, I lost you and weather closed in (garble) and going IFR
Blackhawk 26: Now zero it out babe. Zero it out. That’s it. (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 6: Blackhawk 6 is at 210.
Blackhawk 26: Stay to the coast…
Blackhawk 26: I’m going straight north at this time babe (pilot to co-pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Okay. Hang in there Ace. (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 6. Uh. 33 I’ve got you, uh 26 you have both of yours?
Blackhawk 26: That’s a negative. I can’t see a damn thing!
Blackhawk 26: Watch it! We’re crashing! We’re crashing!
Blackhawk 26: 6 this is 26. We’re crashing at this time!
Blackhawk 26: No, No. We’ve got it. No sweat.
Blackhawk 26: Going up.
Blackhawk 26: No Sweat! Hang in there with your power (co-pilot to pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Okay, okay I got it (pilot to co-pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Okay. You got it. No sweat. Hang in their Ace (co-pilot to pilot)
26A This is…(unintelligible)
Blackhawk 26: You Fucking A.
Blackhawk 6: 26 Is this you?
Blackhawk 26: Roger. Wait. We’re in trouble, babe. We’re in trouble.
Blackhawk 6: 26. This is 6.
Blackhawk 26: Keep it up high. Eh. Gimme it! Gimme it! (co-pilot to pilot.)
Blackhawk 26: You got it; you got it… (pilot to co-pilot)
Speedy Dealer 28: Speedydealer, uh, Speedydealer X-Ray. We have an aircraft down. I say again, we have an aircraft down, pass that back to… (Speedydealer could only hear “we’re crashing” on UHF and then no response from Blackhawk 26.)
Blackhawk 26: Look over, Rich. Look over. (pilot to co-pilot)
Blackhawk 26: Okay I’ve got it. (co-pilot to pilot).
SpeedyDealer X-Ray: Pass it on back to SpeedyDealer…
Blackhawk 26: I’ve got it…Okay. No sweat, no sweat. Keep it up a little high. Keep it up high. (co-pilot to pilot.)
Blackhawk 26A. 6 This is 26 Alfa. I’m on your tail. Do you know where 26 is?
Blackhawk 6: Negative, I’m going right back in there.
Blackhawk 26: Beautiful. Go to the right hooch. Wait a minute. Go that way. It’s clear. (co-pilot to pilot)
SpeedyDealer 28. The weather closed in on us and, uh, as far as we know the aircraft is down.
Blackhawk 26: Negative, negative. This is Blackhawk 26.
SpeedyDealer X-Ray: Roger…
Blackhawk 26: I’ve got the aircraft now.
Blackhawk 6, 26. This is 6.
Blackhawk 26: This is 26. Everything’s safe. We’re all right.
Blackhawk 26: Okay, Ace. Beautiful, beautiful. (co-pilot to pilot.)
Blackhawk 26: Okay. I’m right off your 12 O’Clock, 11 O’Clock right now.
Roger. I got the uh…no sweat..
Blackhawk 26A. All right Butch. Climb up to at least two thousand two hundred feet and head south.
Blackhawk 26. Okay. I’ve got a clearing over this ridge. I’m heading out two one zero at this time.
Blackhawk 6. At 2,000 feet and I’m right behind you.
Blackhawk 26: Okay. I’ve got you in sight.
Blackhawk 26A. I’m on your nose butch. You got me?
Blackhawk 26. Negative. Okay I’ve got you.
Blackhawk 26A. Okay. Come on out, chief.
Blackhawk 26: Oh Christ. (pilot)
Blackhawk 26: jesus h fucking christ was that close. Oh jesus christ (co-pilot)
Blackhawk 6: …on top of this thing. Where are you?
Blackhawk 26A: I’m off 26’s nose. I’ve got him. He’s out. No sweat. Come on out 6.
Blackhawk 6: All right. I’m right behind him.
SpeedyDealer X-Ray. You got them all in?
Blackhawk 26A. Roger. Everyone is in.
When Blackhawk 26 landed at the airstrip in Song Mao, they had tree branches and leaves stuck in their struts. Apparently, they came extremely close to tripping over the trees and crashing.