Sikorsky S76 accident near Calabasas, California, January 26, 2020
On January 26, 2020 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 1991 Sikorsky S76 (helicopter), registered N72EX, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near Calabasas, California. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 9 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to continue flight under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s likely self-induced pressure and the pilot’s plan continuation bias, which adversely affected his decision-making, and Island Express Helicopters Inc.’s inadequate review and oversight of its safety management processes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 2020 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Calabasas, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 9 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S76 B, built 1991 · all S76s on the register
- Registration
- N72EX · no longer on the register · serial 760379
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On January 26, 2020, about 0945 PST, a Sikorsky S76B helicopter, N72EX, crashed into hilly terrain near Calabasas, California. A post impact fire ensued and resulted in a brush fire. The eight passengers and one pilot onboard were fatally injured and the helicopter was destroyed. The helicopter was operated by Island Express Helicopters. Weather at Van Nuys airport, about 14 miles northeast of the site was reported as 1,100 feet overcast with 2 ½ miles visibility. The flight was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 135 under visual flight rules from John Wayne Airport (KSNA), Santa Ana, California, to Camarillo Airport (KCMA), Camarillo, California. An Investigative Webpage is located at https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA20MA059.aspx.
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
- Loss of control in flight during enroute
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during enroute
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Personality/attitude › Motivation/respond to pressure › Pilot
- Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Safety programs › Adequacy of safety program › Operator
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Air traffic/operating proc › (general) › Compliance w/ procedure
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Clouds › Decision related to condition
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Indicating/recording systems › Data recorders (flight/maint) › Not installed/available
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Lack of communication › ATC personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,577 hours in all; 1,250 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KSNA Santa Ana CA at 5:06 pm
- Destination: KCMA Camarillo CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:30 am from KVNY, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
53 documents, released by the NTSB on June 17, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.