# Accident 20080627840659A: Skrsky S76A, Lompoc, CA, June 27, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 27, 2008, 12:38 local time
- Place: Lompoc, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: NAAA
- Location: 34.6111° N, 120.7308° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6111&lon=-120.7308&mi=10
- Aircraft: N343AA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N343AA-2014-04-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Sikorsky S-76B (registry code 8143007, https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-76b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6 series (registry code 52033, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SKRSKY S76A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 18,000 total, 6,000 in this make and model, 75 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX08LA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08LA200) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080627840659A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AIRCRAFT LANDED INTO WIND ON PLATFORM IRENE (5 MILES OFF THE COAST FROM VANDENBERG), THEN BEGAN A HOVERING RIGHT TURN TO POSITION AIRCRAFT TO DISEMBARK PASSENGERS.  THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE SURFACE STRUCTURE OF THE OIL DERRICK AND LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR CONTROL RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING.  AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER AND CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE ON THE HELIPAD.  THE HELIPAD HAD BEEN RECENTLY REPAINTED.  THE CIRCLED 'H' WAS OFFSET APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES TOWARD THE RIG.  A HOVER REFERENCE LINE HAD BEEN REMOVED DURING THE REPAINT.  INSUFFICIENT DISTANCE TO CONDUCT A TURN WHILE STATIONARY OVER HELIPAD RESULTED IN TAIL ROTOR CONTACT WITH OIL DERRICK STRUCTURE.

## 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 LAX08LA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08LA200), Jun 27, 2008: Sikorsky S-76A (N343AA), Santa Maria, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The copilot's misjudged clearance from an object during a hovering turn for landing. Contributing to the accident were the inadequately marked heliport surface and the close proximity of an…

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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