Army Grounds Huey Helicopter Fleet
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WASHINGTON — The Army grounded its fleet of aging UH-1 Huey helicopters Friday because of concern that the recent crash of an air ambulance may signal a structural problem.
Four crew members were injured, two critically, when the helicopter from Ft. Rucker, Ala., crashed May 1. The copter was returning to the base after transporting a burn victim to a hospital in Birmingham when it lost part of the tail boom in flight, the Army said.
A statement from Army headquarters at the Pentagon said metal fatigue in the helicopter’s tail fin is suspected. During the indefinite grounding, the Army and its reserve units plan to inspect each of about 1,000 UH-1s for similar problems.
“This action was taken as a precaution to ensure the safety of soldiers,” a statement from the Army said.
The UH-1, made by Bell Helicopter Textron, became a military mainstay, ferrying American troops in and out of battle during the Vietnam War.
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