- Date
- June 17, 1991, 07:00 local (12:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ship Shoal 290k
- Injuries
- 10 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5418NSikorsky S76A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910617022219A
- Case key
- 23345
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 copilot's reduction of power to ground idle on both engines. Factors were the pilot's poor landing technique and his failure to establish adequate crew coordination.
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 a landing at an off shore oil rig the pilot in command (PIC) allowed the helicopter to drift and placed the right main gear off the platform onto the safety apron. The PIC unsuccessfully attempted two repositioning maneuvers and then decided to takeoff and land again. During the takeoff from a hover the PIC applied increased collective. The helicopter responded by turning right around its vertical axis. The co-pilot (cp) interpretered the right turn as a loss of directional control, so he brought both engines off line by reducing the speed levers to ground idle. The action of the cp was taken without coordination or announcement to his PIC. The main rotor blades struck the platform and the helicopter descended uncontrolled to the water. No mechanical malfunctions were discovered.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5418N
- Reported as
- Sikorsky S76A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 760209
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30E, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Petroleum Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Petroleum Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- NONE · Ship Shoal 209a, GM
- Flight plan
- 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
- 62
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 16,154 total · 5,305 in this make and model · 12,377 as pilot in command · 243 in the last 90 days · 82 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.