# Accident 20040323007699A: Skrsky S76A, Galveston, TX, March 23, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 23, 2004, 19:23 local time
- Place: Galveston, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ERAA
- Location: 29.3014° N, 94.7978° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Galveston, TX, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3014&lon=-94.7978&mi=10
- Aircraft: N579EH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N579EH-2004-07-28) (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 ARRIEL1S1
- People aboard: 10
- Fatal injuries: 10
- Pilot flight hours: 7,256 total, 1,489 in this make and model, 121 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DCA04MA030](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA04MA030) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040323007699A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## 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 DCA04MA030](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA04MA030), Mar 23, 2004: Sikorsky S76A++ (N579EH), Gulf of Mexico, destroyed, 10 fatal. Probable cause: the flight crew's failure to identify and arrest the helicopter's descent for undetermined reasons, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.

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.

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