Sikorsky UH-60M (S-70) accident near Lanyu, Tw, February 5, 2018
On February 5, 2018 at about 11:52 pm local time, a Sikorsky UH-60M (S-70) (helicopter), registered NA706, was destroyed in an accident near Lanyu. It was flown under foreign airline rules (Part 129). 6 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 2018 · about 11:52 pm local time
- Place
- Lanyu, Taiwan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky UH-60M (S-70) · all UH-60M (S-70)s on the register
- Registration
- NA706 · no longer on the register · serial 1227294
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
The foreign authority was the source of this information. On February 05, 2018, about 2352 local time, a Sikorsky UH-60M helicopter, NA-706, operated by National Airborne Service Corps. of the Ministry of Interior, Taiwan R.O.C., went missing and is presumed to have crashed in open ocean waters shortly after departure from the Lanyu Airport (RCLY), located on Orchid Island, Taitung, Taiwan. Of the six occupants on board, the three crew members and three passengers, remain missing, and the helicopter is presumed to have been destroyed. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Taiwan. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained by the Government of Taiwan. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Aviation Safety Council, Taiwan 11th Floor, 200, Section 3, Beixin Road, Xindian District New Taipei City 231, Tiawan (R.O.C.) Tel: 886-1-89127388 Fax: 886-2-8912-7399 E-Mail: info@scaa.sy Website: www.asc.gov.tw
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Unknown or undetermined during unknown defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: General Electric (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric (turboshaft); 0 hours total
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.