# Accident 20020831023019A: Skrsky S76A, Miami, FL, August 31, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 31, 2002, 12:07 local time - Place: Miami, FL - Airport: Miami Childrens Hospital - Damage: Substantial damage - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 25.7403° N, 80.2944° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.7403&lon=-80.2944&mi=10 - Aircraft: N15460, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N15460-2023-11-10) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Sikorsky S-76C (registry code 8143008, https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-76c) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SKRSKY S76A - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA02FA161](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02FA161) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020831023019A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) THE PILOT INITIATED A NORMAL TAKE-OFF FROM THE MIAMI CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LEVEL HELIPAD. THE PILOT ELECTED TO TAKE OFF EAST BETWEEN A BUILDING AND A MULTI-DECK-PARKING GARAGE AND OVER AN AWNING COVERED CROSSWALK AND A STREET. AS THE HELICOPTER PASSED OVER THE AWNING IT WAS FLAPPING UP DUE TO THE ROTOR DOWNWASH. THIS DIVERTED THE PILOTS ATTENTION CAUSING THE HELICOPTER MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO STRIKE THE CORNER OF THE PARKING GARAGE. THE HELICOPTER STOPPED CLIMBING AND CRASHED TO THE STREET BELOW. BOTH ENGINES WERE SHUT DOWN, BOTH FIRE T-HANDLE WERE PULLED AND THE BATTERY SWITCH WAS SHUT-OFF. THE ROTOR BLADES STOPPED QUICKLY AND EVERYONE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS INJURED IN HIS RIGHT HAND AND THE COPILOT BROKE HIS LEFT ARM WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT. (.19) ON AUGUST 31, 2002, ABOUT 1217 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A SIKORSKY, S-76 A+, REGISTERED TO MIAMI CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, AND OPERATED BY AIR METHODS INC., AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AIRMEDICAL POSITIONING FLIGHT, COLLIDED WITH A CORNER OF A BUILDING AT MIAMI CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, MIAMI, FLORIDA, DURING TAKEOFF/INITIAL CLIMB. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND N O FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT-RATED PILOT AND TWO FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED COPILOT RECEIVED A SERIOUS INJURY. THE HELICOPTER INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS THE PILOT FLYING, AND THE COPILOT WAS MONITORING THE TAKEOFF AND CLEARING FOR OBSTACLES ON THE LEFT SIDE. HE SAID THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, ALL EVENTS HAD BEEN NORMAL, AND THAT THE DEPARTURE PATH FROM THE HELIPAD IS TO THE EAST, OVER AN AWNING WHICH COVERS A WALKWAY AND A STREET, BETWEEN TWO BUILDINGS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AS THE HELICOPTER WAS ABOUT TO PASS OVER THE AWNING HE BECAME DISTRACTED BY A LARGE SECTION OF TORN AWNING WHICH WAS FLAPPING IN THE WIND DUE TO THE ROTOR'S DOWNWASH, AND THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTORS IMPACTED THE TOP CORNER OF THE BUILDING ON THE RIGHT. THE HELICOPTER STOPPED CLIMBING AND BEGAN TO SETTLE, AND THE PILOT SAID HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE, AND NAVIGATED BETWEEN THE BUILDING AND THE PARKING GARAGE, TO THE STREET BELOW, APPLYING FULL COLLECTIVE PITCH TO CUSHION THE LANDING ON THE STREET. HE THEN PERFORMED THE EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN PROCEDURES, AND HE AND HIS CREW EGRESSED FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER INCURRED DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTORS AND FUSELAGE. ## 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 MIA02FA161](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02FA161), Aug 31, 2002: Sikorsky S76A+ (N15460), Miami, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight crew's diverted attention, inadequate visual lookout, and failure to ensure adequate main rotor clearance. Factors in the accident were the continued operation, with known obstructions in… 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.