- Date
- January 26, 2020, 09:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Calabasas, CA
- Injuries
- 9 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N72EXSikorsky S76
- Defining event
- Enroute: VFR encounter with IMC
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 9, 2021
- Report
- Board-adopted at Board Meeting · Board meeting February 9, 2021
- Investigation class
- Class 1
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 20200126001589A
- Case key
- 100863
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to continue flight under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s likely self-induced pressure and the pilot’s plan continuation bias, which adversely affected his decision-making, and Island Express Helicopters Inc.’s inadequate review and oversight of its safety management processes.
Findings · 9
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Factual narrative
On January 26, 2020, about 0945 PST, a Sikorsky S76B helicopter, N72EX, crashed into hilly terrain near Calabasas, California. A post impact fire ensued and resulted in a brush fire. The eight passengers and one pilot onboard were fatally injured and the helicopter was destroyed. The helicopter was operated by Island Express Helicopters. Weather at Van Nuys airport, about 14 miles northeast of the site was reported as 1,100 feet overcast with 2 ½ miles visibility. The flight was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 135 under visual flight rules from John Wayne Airport (KSNA), Santa Ana, California, to Camarillo Airport (KCMA), Camarillo, California. An Investigative Webpage is located at https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA20MA059.aspx.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N72EX
- Reported as
- Sikorsky S76 (B)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 760379
- Built
- 1991
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Island Express
- Registered owner
- Island Express Holding Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KSNA · Santa Ana, CA
- Destination
- KCMA · Camarillo, CA
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- Fatal
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 8,577 total · 1,250 in this make and model · 61 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 1.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 2.5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,100 ft overcast
- Observed at
- KVNY, 14 nm away
Docket · 53
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 17, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 GB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.