20040323007699A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Skrsky S-76A · Galveston, TX · March 23, 2004

Date
March 23, 2004 · 19:23 local
Place
Galveston, TX
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
ERAA
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N579EH
NTSB investigation
NTSBDCA04MA030
Reported as
Skrsky S76A
Reported engine
TMECA ARRIEL1S1
People aboard
10
Fatal injuries
10
Pilot’s flight hours
7,256 total1,489 in this make and model121 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The aircraft, chartered by unocal of houston, Texas, departed scholes international airport near Galveston, Texas at approximately 6:45 pm CST. Its intended destination was high island a 557 refueling platform, and then on offshore drilling ship. There were 2 crewmembers and 8 passengers aboard. At 7:23 pm, the company dispatcher attempted to contact the pilot of the aircraft but received no response. Floating wreckage was found the following day, and a debris field was located in the early morning on March 26, about 70 miles offshore. The debris field is 300 feet by 600 feet and sits in 180 feet of water. The wreckage is reported to be extremely fragmented. The remains of all 10 occupants have been recovered.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT, CHARTERED BY UNOCAL OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, DEPARTED SCHOLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT NEAR GALVESTON, TEXAS AT APPROXIMATELY 6:45 PM CST. ITS INTENDED DESTINATION WAS HIGH ISLAND A 557 REFUELING PLATFORM, AND THEN ON OFFSHORE DRILLING SHIP. THERE WERE 2 CREWMEMBERS AND 8 PASSENGERS ABOARD. AT 7:23 PM, THE COMPANY DISPATCHER ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. FLOATING WRECKAGE WAS FOUND THE FOLLOWING DAY, AND A DEBRIS FIELD WAS LOCATED IN THE EARLY MORNING ON MARCH 26, ABOUT 70 MILES OFFSHORE. THE DEBRIS FIELD IS 300 FEET BY 600 FEET AND SITS IN 180 FEET OF WATER. THE WRECKAGE IS REPORTED TO BE EXTREMELY FRAGMENTED. THE REMAINS OF ALL 10 OCCUPANTS HAVE BEEN RECOVERED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.