Sikorsky S-76A accident near Houston, Texas, April 19, 2006
On April 19, 2006 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Sikorsky S-76A (helicopter), registered N8063R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (West Houston Aorport airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure by maintenance personnel to secure the tail rotor driveshaft cowling after performing maintenance which resulted in a loss of tail rotor control. A contributing factor was the pilot's improper preflight inspection of the tail rotor driveshaft area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2006 · about 10:20 pm local time · cases in 2006
- Place
- Houston, Texas · West Houston Aorport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-76A · all S-76As on the register
- Registration
- N8063R · registry record · serial 760064
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot completed a successful landing to a hover and taxied to a point on the airport ramp to complete the flight mission. While at a stable hover, while preparing to set the twin-engine helicopter on the ground, the aircraft entered an uncommanded spin to the right. The copilot stated that the helicopter made 3 full 360-degree turns to the right prior to making ground contact. Lateral forces due to the spin caused the left main landing gear to collapse and all 4 main rotor blades to contact the ground. The aircraft remained upright and the pilot, copilot, and all 8 passengers were not injured. On scene investigation by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the cowling that covered the first section of the tail rotor drive shaft had not been secured and had contacted the shaft severing it in two. The helicopter had recently had maintenance performed and the cowling was left unsecured. The flight crew failed to notice the loose cowling during their preflight inspection prior to departure.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,448 hours in all; 606 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,570 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 1,450 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,272 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 14
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Allison 250-C30 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Allison 250-C30 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: High Island 139 GM at 9:52 pm
- Destination: KIWS Houston TX
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KSGR, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N8063R on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Sikorsky S-76 141 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Sikorsky 827 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Allison 250-C30 5 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Allison 250-C30 5 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- West Houston Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,065 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,945 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DFW06LA093.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.