What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The S-76A departed on a positioning flight with two pilots and two medical personnel onboard. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed with prevailing visibility less than 1/4 mile. The departure airport was 1,381 feet MSL. After becoming airborne, as it passed through 1,600 feet, the helicopter entered a descending left turn which terminated on the side of a hill, about 1,000 feet elevation. The CVR recorded the pilot calling out the descending turn to the co-pilot who was flying, but the co-pilot did not acknowledge the pilot's call. Additionally, the pilot did not take control of the helicopter from the co-pilot, and he did not acknowledge the co-pilot's comment about a possible gyro failure, or answer the co-pilots question about the pilot taking control of the helicopter. No evidence a pre-existing failure or malfunction was found with the helicopter. According to the company operations manual, the minimum visibility for an instrument departure was 1/4 mile. Both pilots had failed upgrades in the preceding year, but had passed their respective 6 month IFR checks with no problems noted. Petroleum helicopter, inc/university of Kentucky medical center life flight Sikorsky S-76A helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances shortly after take-off, the 4 crewmembers (pilot, co-pilot, and 2 medical crewmembers) suffered fatal injuried, the acft was destroyed,other circumstances are unknown. (-23)see NYC99FA140
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE S-76A DEPARTED ON A POSITIONING FLIGHT WITH TWO PILOTS AND TWO MEDICAL PERSONNEL ONBOARD. NIGHT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED WITH PREVAILING VISIBILITY LESS THAN 1/4 MILE. THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WAS 1,381 FEET MSL. AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE, AS IT PASSED THROUGH 1,600 FEET, THE HELICOPTER ENTERED A DESCENDING LEFT TURN WHICH TERMINATED ON THE SIDE OF A HILL, ABOUT 1,000 FEET ELEVATION. THE CVR RECORDED THE PILOT CALLING OUT THE DESCENDING TURN TO THE CO-PILOT WHO WAS FLYING, BUT THE CO-PILOT DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PILOT'S CALL. ADDITIONALLY, THE PILOT DID NOT TAKE CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER FROM THE CO-PILOT, AND HE DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE CO-PILOT'S COMMENT ABOUT A POSSIBLE GYRO FAILURE, OR ANSWER THE CO-PILOTS QUESTION ABOUT THE PILOT TAKING CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. NO EVIDENCE A PRE-EXISTING FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND WITH THE HELICOPTER. ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY OPERATIONS MANUAL, THE MINIMUM VISIBILITY FOR AN INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE WAS 1/4 MILE. BOTH PILOTS HAD FAILED UPGRADES IN THE PRECEDING YEAR, BUT HAD PASSED THEIR RESPECTIVE 6 MONTH IFR CHECKS WITH NO PROBLEMS NOTED. PETROLEUM HELICOPTER, INC/UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY MEDICAL CENTER LIFE FLIGHT SIKORSKY S-76A HELICOPTER CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF, THE 4 CREWMEMBERS (PILOT, CO-PILOT, AND 2 MEDICAL CREWMEMBERS) SUFFERED FATAL INJURIED, THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED,OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23)SEE NYC99FA140
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2743E · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.