The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Accidents · NTSB ENG18WA034 · Preliminary: the investigation is not finished

Sikorsky S76 accident near Valle Nuevo, Do, May 17, 2018

On May 17, 2018 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1989 Sikorsky S76 (helicopter), registered N76VR, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Valle Nuevo. It was flown under non-U.S. private rules. No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
May 17, 2018 · about 3:00 pm local time
Place
Valle Nuevo, Dominican Republic · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
Weather
not recorded
Aircraft
Sikorsky S76 B, built 1989 · all S76s on the register
Registration
N76VR · registry record · serial 760360
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Flight · non-U.S. private rules

The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English

What happened, in order

  1. Unknown or undetermined during takeoff defining event

The aircraft

  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Not recorded

Weather at the time

  • Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Flight crew2
Passengers6

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.

Other NTSB records under N76VR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time

2007-08-03DFW07CA175 · accident near Ennis, TX · substantial damage · minor injuries
1986-06-21SEA86LA149 · accident near Kent, WA · substantial damage · no injuries

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.