Sikorsky S-76A incident near Cullman, Alabama, June 15, 1993
On June 15, 1993 at about 7:02 pm local time, a Sikorsky S-76A (helicopter), registered N110AL, was involved in an incident near Cullman, Alabama. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO PROPERLY INSPECT THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL CABLE AT THE LAST 750 HOUR INSPECTION, AND THE SUBSEQUENT TOTAL FAILURE OF THE CABLE DUE TO WEAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1993 · about 7:02 pm local time
- Place
- Cullman, Alabama · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-76A · all S-76As on the register
- Registration
- N110AL · registry record · serial 760190
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, AT ABOUT 200 FEET AGL, HE HEARD A 'SNAP' SOUND, AND THE HELICOPTER YAWED ABOUT 30 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. HE OBSERVED THE LEFT ANTITORQUE PEDAL TO BE INOPERATIVE. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS MAINTAINED WITH ENGINE POWER ADJUSTMENTS. A RUN ON LANDING WAS PERFORMED AT THE BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT. THE HELICOPTER WAS THEN TOWED FROM THE RUNWAY. AN INSPECTION OF HELICOPTER REVEALED THAT THE LEFT TAIL ROTOR CABLE ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED IN THE VICINITY OF A PULLEY. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION INDICATED THAT THE CABLE FAILED FROM SEVERE WEAR OF THE INDIVIDUAL WIRES OF THE CABLE STRANDS. THE CABLE WAS INSPECTED 521 HOURS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT; MAINTENANCE MANUAL DICTATES CABLE INSPECTION AT EVERY 750 HOUR INSPECTION. CABLE WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON THIS HELICOPTER (4110 HRS TOTAL TIME).
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,504 hours in all; 3,046 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 9,023 as pilot in command; 492 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 1993; 128 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250-C30S (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southern Company Services, INC
The flight
- Destination: BHM Birmingham AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from BHM, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL93IA111.