- Date
- July 10, 2001, 17:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- New Iberia, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N164AGSikorsky SK-76A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20010710038129A
- Case key
- 52974
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 loss of control while maneuvering for undetermined reasons.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While on a cross country positioning flight, the pilot noticed that the in-flight ride was a "little rougher" than most S-76 model helicopters that he had flown. He decided to initiate an auto rotation RPM check. After disengaging the autopilot, he lowered the collective and retarded the throttles to idle. Subsequently, the nose "pitched up and snapped to the left to a vertical descent." After the pilot advanced the throttles, the aircraft began to shake "violently." Subsequently, he recovered "full control." After landing, a post flight inspection revealed damage to the main rotor blades and hub. Further inspection of the hub and blades revealed that all 4 blades had cracks about 1 foot outboard of the blade root seals. All 4 spindle assemblies and flap restrainers were also damaged. No impact damage was observed on the hub or blades.
Factual narrative
On July 10, 2001, approximately 1745 central daylight time, a Sikorsky SK-76A helicopter, N164AG, registered to and operated by Air Logistics L.L.C., of New Iberia, Louisiana, was substantially damaged during a loss of control while maneuvering in the vicinity of Sabine Pass, Louisiana. The airline transport rated pilot, who was the sole occupant of the helicopter, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. The flight originated from the company's base located at Intracoastal City, Louisiana, at 1700.
The pilot stated that during run up at Intracoastal, the aircraft "seemed to have a bit of a ground track problem." He then proceeded to his destination (Sabine Pass) and noticed that the in-flight ride was a "little rougher" than most S76's that he had flown. About ten miles from Sabine, he decided to initiate an auto rotation RPM check. After disengaging the autopilot, he lowered the collective and retarded the throttles to idle. Subsequently, the nose "pitched up and snapped to the left to a vertical descent." After the pilot advanced the throttles, the aircraft began to shake "violently." Subsequently, he recovered "full control." After landing at Sabine, a post flight inspection revealed damage to the main rotor blades and hub.
Further inspection of the hub and blades revealed that all 4 main rotor blades had cracks about 1 foot outboard of the blade root seals. All four spindle assemblies and flap restrainers were also damaged. No impact damage was observed on either the hub or blades.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N164AG
- Reported as
- Sikorsky SK-76A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 760290
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30S, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Air Logistics LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- LA09 · Intracoastal, LA
- Destination
- 95XS · Sabine Pass, LA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- 95XS · Air Logistics Sabine Heliport
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
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 16,053 total · 9,255 in this make and model · 11,536 as pilot in command · 269 in the last 90 days · 105 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.