- Date
- May 1, 1984, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- High Isl Blk595
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N763ALSikorsky S-76A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19840501024669A
- Case key
- 21117
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
During cruise flight at 500 ft over gulf waters, the left engine sustained a massive, uncontained, explosive failure. Sharpnel penetrated the right engine, which failed from damage. Sharpnel also penetrated the ac and DC junction boxes, causing complete electrical failure (no mayday call possible). Sharpnel further severed the tail rotor drive shaft and penetrated the acft fuel system; fire broke out in the transmission area and the cockpit filled with smoke. Using the co-plt's side window for visual acquisition of the water surface, a successful autorotation was performed. However, the acft rolled over and sank since the emergency floatation gear is electrically operated and failed to deploy. After successful evacuation by all occupants, plt returned to the inverted acft and deployed life rafts. Investigation revealed left engine compressor-to-turbine coupling had failed in fatigue. Turbine went overspeed and burst under centrifugal loads.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N763AL
- Reported as
- Sikorsky S-76A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 760019
- Airframe hours
- 3,589
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30S, 250 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Air Logistic Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · March 26, 1984 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- Hi Isl Blk 595, GM
- Destination
- Freeport, TX
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,092 total · 348 in this make and model · 3,839 as pilot in command · 53 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 11° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.