Agusta Spa A109E accident near Ras Tanajib, SA, August 22, 2009
On August 22, 2009 at about 5:06 am local time, a Agusta Spa A109E (helicopter), registered N906AH, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near Ras Tanajib. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 2009 · about 5:06 am local time
- Place
- Ras Tanajib, SA · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Agusta Spa A109E · all A109Es on the register
- Registration
- N906AH · no longer on the register · serial 11644
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 22, 2009, at 0506 universal coordinated time, an Agusta 109E helicopter, N906AH, operated by Saudi Aramco Aviation, sustained substantial damage during landing and a post crash fire at barge Arabyia 4, in the Persian Gulf, near Ras Tanajib, Saudi Arabia. The pilot and 4 passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Ras Tanajib Airport (OETN), at 0456. According to the operator, the helicopter touched down on the barge, the helicopter began to shake, the main rotor contacted the tail boom and cabin, and a fire ensued. During the accident sequence, the pilot was able to secure the engines and stop the main rotor with the rotor brake. The pilot and passengers exited the helicopter uninjured, and barge personnel extinguished the fire. The accident occurred in the vicinity of 28 degrees, 05 minutes north latitude, 048 degrees, 44 minutes east longitude. This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) P.O. Box 887, Jeddah, 21165 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Tel: 966-2685-5515 Fax: 966-2-685-5507 This report is for informational purposes and contains only information released by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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
- Ground resonance during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,380 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 2,015 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,439 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 15, 2009; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,600 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW206C (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW206C (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Aramco Associated CO
The flight
- Departed from: OETN Ras Tanajib at 4:56 am
- Destination: Ras Tanajib
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.55 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 ERA09WA478.