air america: pilatus / fairchild pc-6 turbo porters - The University of ...

The wreck of Air America PC-6C N153L carried by a UH-34D, possibly taken in Dec. 66
(UTD/Miller/B4F13)
Pilatus PC-6C/H-2 N153L 576 16 May 66 bought from the Pacific
Corp., who bought it from
Continental Air Services,
Vientiane, XW-PCH, as a
wreck; previously HB-
FBY of Pilatus AG,
Stans, then XW-PCH of
Bird & Sons Inc,
Vientiane
Service history: offered to Air America for purchase as a wreck in May 65 (Minutes
ExCom-AACL/AAM of 11 May 65, in: UTD/CIA/B7F4); bought at $ 5,000; rebuilt
at a cost of $ 85,476,26 (List “Accumulated costs as of 31 Dec. 67”, in:
UTD/CIA/B40F8); bought from the Pacific Corp. on 16 May 66; registered to Air
America as N153L on 25 May 66 (Status as of 28 March 74 as of UTD/CIA/B56F3);
rebuilt and converted to Garrett power in 1966 at a cost of $ 80,000 + $ 12,858 =
$92,858 (Minutes Ex Com-AACL/AAM of 26 January 66 and 22 November 66, in:
UTD/CIA/B8F1); still under rebuild and conversion to a Garrett-powered PC-6C in
May 66 (Aircraft status as of 4 May 66, in: UTD/Hickler/B1F2); officially acquired
by Air America on 31 August 66 (List “Accumulated costs as of 31 Dec. 67”, in:
UTD/CIA/B40F8); struck bushes and a tree while attempting to take off into the sun
from Lao Na (T-614), Thailand, on 9 December 66, causing extensive damage
(XOXO of 10 Dec. 66, in: UTD/Hickler/B26F16; Minutes ExCom-AACL/AAM of
20 December 66, in: UTD/CIA/B8F1; photos of the ill-fated PC-6 are preserved in:
UTD/Hickler/B24F4); recovered by UH-34D H-40 (a photo is preserved in:
UTD/Hickler/B28; a photo of the ill-fated N153L tied to an UH-34D is preserved in:
UTD/Miller/B4F13) and repaired at a cost of $71,750 (Minutes ExCom-AACL/AAM
of 10 January 67, in: UTD/CIA/B8F2); suffered from an in-flight engine malfunction
and crashed into the trees about 45 miles North of Ubon, Thailand, on 11 April 67,
while on a flight to Ban Chanuman (T-313); photos of the ill-fated PC-6 are preserved
in: UTD/Hickler/B24F4 (XOXO of 11 April 67, in: UTD/Hickler/B27F1; Minutes
ExCom-AACL/AAM of 11 April 67, in: UTD/CIA/B8F2); repaired at a cost of $
56,620 + $ 7,000 in May to October 67 (Minutes ExCom-AACL/AAM of 23 May 67
and 14 November 67, in: UTD/CIA/B8F2); promissory note no.21 dated 15
November 67 (UTD/CIA/B9F4) mentions $ 5,000.00 owed by Air America to the
Pacific Corp. for this aircraft, probably for repair; a Thai Border Police sergeant
walked into the rotating propeller of N153L at Ban Nong Khan (T-322), Thailand, on
28 January 68; he was instantly killed (XOXO of 28 Jan. 68, in:
UTD/Hickler/B26F17; Accident report, in: UTD/Hickler/B24F3); assigned to contract