# Accident 20010721022359A: Skrsky S76A, Losangeles, CA, July 21, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 21, 2001, 00:49 local time - Place: Losangeles, CA - Airport: Uclamedicalcenter - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Operator: H0CA - Location: 34.0693° N, 118.4409° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0693&lon=-118.4409&mi=10 - Aircraft: N769BB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N769BB-2002-08-22) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Sikorsky S-76A (registry code 8143006, https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-76a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SKRSKY S76A - Reported engine: TMECA ARRIEL1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 5,595 total, 215 in this make and model, 110 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01FA252](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01FA252) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010721022359A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) PILOT STATED THAT AFTER DEPLANNING PASSENGERS, HE WAS PREPARING FOR DEPARTURE TO VNY WHEN HE NOTICED THE LEFT REAR CABIN DOOR OPEN LIGHT ILLUMINATED. HE ADVISED THAT HE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE LIGHT BY RETARDING THE POWER CONTROL LEVERS TO IDLE, EXIT THE AIRCRAFT AND ATTEMPT TO SECURE THE LEFT REAR DOOR. HOWEVER, ON THE FINAL TIME, THE POWER CONTROL LEVERS WERE LEFT IN THE "FLY" POSITION AND, UPON EXITING THE AIRCRAFT, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO MOVE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL BUT THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED ON ITS SIDE. (.4) HISTORY OF FLIGHT: ON JULY 21, 2001, AT 0049 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A SIKORSKY S-76A, N769BB, YAWED TO THE LEFT AND ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE WHILE STANDING WITH BOTH ENGINES OPERATING AND ROTORS TURNING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES (UCLA), MEDICAL CENTER HELIPAD IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE REPOSITIONING FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY HELINET AVIATION, INC., UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND WAS DEPARTING FOR VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA. THE FLIGHT WAS OPE RATING ON A COMPANY VFR FLIGHT PLAN. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE PILOT WAS INTERVIEWED IN THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM ABOUT 3 HOURS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE REPORTED HE FLEW AN ORGAN HARVESTING (MEDICAL) TEAM TO FRESNO AND RETURNED THEM TO UCLA IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, ARRIVING JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT. ON THE INBOUND LANDING HE APPROACHED THE HELIPAD FROM THE SOUTHEAST AND MADE A HOVERING PEDAL TURN TO A WESTERLY HEADING, LANDING IN THE CENTER OF THE HELIPAD. HE RECALLED HE SET THE PARKING BRAKE BEFORE LANDING. HE DEPLANED HIS 5 PASSENGERS THROUGH THE RIGHT-HAND DOOR WITH THE ENGINE OPERATING AND THE MAIN ROTOR IN MOTION. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY BRIEFED THE PASSENGERS FOR THE STANDARD (COMPANY) PROCEDURE TO BE USED TO DEPLANE WITH THE ENGINE OPERATING. AFTER HIS PASSENGERS HAD GONE INSIDE THE HOSPITAL, HE RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT AND WAS PREPARING TO DEPART WHEN HE NOTICED A DOOR UNSECURED INDICATION ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FOR THE LEFT CABIN DOOR. THE PASSENGERS HAD DEPLANED THROUGH THE RIGHT-HAND DOOR AND THE LEFT DOOR ANNUNCIATION HAD NOT BEEN ON DURING THE INBOUND FLIGHT. HE THOUGHT ONE OF THE PASSENGERS MIGHT HAVE RELEASED THE LEFT DOOR LATCH INADVERTENTLYWHILE PREPARING TO DEPLANE. HE IDLED THE ENGINES AND EXITED THE COCKPIT TO CHECK THE DOOR. HE RE-CLOSED THE DOOR AND RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT; HOWEVER, THE DOOR OPEN ANNUNCIATION CAME ON AGAIN. HE RECALLED LEAVING THE COCKPIT "2 OR 3 TIMES" TO DEAL WITH THE DOOR AND SAID HE WAS "FRUSTRATED WITH IT". HE DID NOT RECALL RETARDING THE ENGINE POWER CONTROL LEVERS TO GROUND IDLE BEFORE LEAVING THE COCKPIT THE FINAL TIME. WHILE OUT OF THE COCKPIT, THE WHEEL-EQUIPPED HELICOPTER STARTED TO MOVE AS HE WAS RETURNING TO THE COCKPIT. HE RECALLED IT WAS MOVING TOWARD THE EDGE OF THE HELIPAD. HE RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT; HOWEVER, BEFORE "BELTING IN" AND BEFORE HE COULD REGAIN CONTROL THERE WAS A CONFUSING SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND THE NEXT THING HE KNEW THE HELICOPTER WAS ON ITS SIDE. AFTER THE EVENTS CEASED, HE RECALLED HE WAS LOOSE INSIDE THE COCKPIT AND WAS NOT RESTRAINED BY HIS SEAT BELTS. HE WAS DISORIENTED IN THE DARKNESS AND HAD TROUBLE FINDING THE FUEL SHUT-OFF LEVERS AND DIDN'T KNOW HOW HE GOT OUT OF THE HELICOPTER. HE RECALLED TRYING TO KICK OUT THE WINDSHIELD AND BEING CONCERNED THAT THE HELICOPTER WOULD EITHER CATCH FIRE OR ROLL OFF THE [ELEVATED] HELIPAD. THE PILOT REPORTED THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WITH THE HELICOPTER UP TO THE TIME OF THE EVENT. HE REMARKED THAT IT WAS VERY LIGHT [WEIGHT] WITH NO ONE ELSE ON BOARD. IN HIS WRITTEN REPORT TO THE NTSB (FORM 6120.1/2, ATTACHED), IN THE BLOCK TITLED "PERSON AT CONTROLS AT TIME OF ACCIDENT" THE PILOT CHECKED "NO ONE" AND IN THE BOXES TITLED "SEAT BELT USED" AND "SHOULDER HARNESS USED" HE CHECKED "NO". ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX01FA252](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01FA252), Jul 21, 2001: Sikorsky S-76A (N769BB), Los Angeles, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to reduce the engine power control levers to ground idle prior to leaving the helicopter, resulting in the unmanned helicopter moving on the helipad and performing a dynamic… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.