# Accident 20120801015349A: Sikorsky S-58JT, Middletown, DE, August 1, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 1, 2012, 08:30 local time
- Place: Middletown, DE
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: A9IL
- Location: 39.4422° N, 75.7314° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4422&lon=-75.7314&mi=10
- Aircraft: N126GW, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N126GW) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Sikorsky S-58JT (registry code 8141807, https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-58jt) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6T-6 (registry code 51524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6t-6) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SIKORSKY S-58JT
- Reported engine: P & W PT6T-6
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 13,000 total, 7,000 in this make and model, 124 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA12LA493](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA493) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120801015349A

## Narrative

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

THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A HOVER PHASE OF FLIGHT AS IT WAS SETTING AN AIR CONDITIONING UNIT ON A SINGLE STORY WAREHOUSE. THE PILOT FELT A VIBRATION IN THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL PEDALS, HE RELEASED THE EXTERNAL LOAD AND INITIATED AN EMREGENCY LANDING, ON A ROAD ADJACENT TO THE WAREHOUSE. THE HELICOPTER LANDED SAFELY WITHOUT FURTHER DIFFICULTIES. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINES AND EXITED THE HELICOPTER.

## 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 ERA12LA493](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA493), Aug 1, 2012: Sikorsky S-58JT (N126GW), Middletown, DE, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to recognize that the helicopter was experiencing tail rotor dynamic instability and to take immediate corrective actions during an external load lift, which resulted in the…

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.