- Date
- February 18, 2018, 09:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- New Iberia, LA
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N860ALSikorsky S76
- Defining event
- Taxi-into takeoff position: Landing gear collapse
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA, Sikorsky
- FAA report
- 20180218002719A
- Case key
- 96782
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 helicopter’s striking of a pothole while taxiing, which resulted in the right main landing gear collapsing.
Findings · 1
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.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while the copilot was taxiing the wheel-equipped helicopter to the runway for departure, he saw a "bump" on the concrete. The copilot reported that he attempted to stop before the "bump," which turned out to be a pothole, but the helicopter struck the pothole with the right main landing gear, which collapsed. The pilot and the copilot both reported that the taxi speed was less than 5 knots. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the internal fuselage structure. The Director of Operations reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while the co-pilot was taxiing the wheel-equipped helicopter to the runway for departure, he saw a "bump" on the concrete. The co-pilot reported that he attempted to stop before the "bump", which turned out to be a pothole, but the helicopter struck the pothole with the right main landing gear, which collapsed. The pilot and the co-pilot both reported that the taxi speed was less than 5 knots. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the internal fuselage structure. The Director of Operations reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N860AL
- Reported as
- Sikorsky S76 (C)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 760527
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 9,866
- Engines
- Safran Arriel 2S1, 794 horsepower, turbo shaftSafran Arriel 2S1, 794 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Bristow US LLC
- Registered owner
- Helifleet 2013-01 LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Unknown · February 4, 2018
- Departed
- ARA · New Iberia, LA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ARA · Acadiana Rgnl
- Equipment
- Data recorder, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 23, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 9,674 total · 3,866 in this make and model · 6,895 as pilot in command · 68 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 27, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 7,277 total · 209 in this make and model · 6,284 as pilot in command · 103 in the last 90 days · 31 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KARA
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 18, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.7 MB 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.