Sikorsky S-92A accident near St. John'S, Newfoundland, Ca, March 12, 2009
On March 12, 2009 at about 12:26 pm local time, a Sikorsky S-92A (helicopter), registered GGZCH, was destroyed in an accident near St. John'S, Newfoundland (St. John'S International airport). It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 17 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Not required for RA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 2009 · about 12:26 pm local time · cases in 2009
- Place
- St. John'S, Newfoundland, Canada · St. John'S International · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 17 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-92A · all S-92As on the register
- Registration
- GGZCH · registered outside the United States
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Not required for RA.
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
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Cougar Helicopter Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: CYYT St. John'S at 11:47 am
- Destination: Hibernia
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 15 | 1 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- Sikorsky S-92 44 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Sikorsky 827 aircraft on the register
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN09RA205.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.