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).
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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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2006 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · West Houston Aorport · 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 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 DFW06LA093.