Sikorsky S-76A accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina, March 6, 1984
On March 6, 1984 at about 2:18 am local time, a Sikorsky S-76A (helicopter), registered N15479, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina (Milliken Heliport airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- March 6, 1984 · about 2:18 am local time
- Place
- Spartanburg, South Carolina · Milliken Heliport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-76A · all S-76As on the register
- Registration
- N15479 · no longer on the register · serial 760066
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING A LANDING AT A COMPANY HELIPAD. THE WEATHER WAS IMC WITH LOW CEILINGS AND FOG. THE ACFT HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR A VOR APPROACH MONITORED BY RADAR. THE CO-PLT SPOTTED THE PAD AND CALLED IT OUT TO THE PLT WHO STARTED A STEEP DESCENT. WHILE COMPLETING THE LANDING CHECK THE CO-PLT SENSED A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE OF THE ACFT AND LOOKED OUT. IT APPEARED THE ACFT WAS MOVING BACKWARD AND DOWN. HE YELLED 'WHERE ARE WE GOING?!' THE CAPTAIN ADDED POWER AS THE ACFT ENTERED THE TREES. THE NOSE AND RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED BUT THE ACFT REMAINED UPRIGHT. THE ROTOR BLADES WERE RUINED BY TREE CONTACT.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,213 hours in all; 293 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 11,339 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 522 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 21, 1984; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,300 lb
- Seats: 14
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Detr. Diesel 250-C30S (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CUB Columbia SC
- Destination: Spartanburg SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 200 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from GSP, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 5 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket 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.