Agusta AW139 accident near AO, August 19, 2011
On August 19, 2011 at about 7:48 pm local time, a Agusta AW139 (helicopter), registered PRSEK, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near AO. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- August 19, 2011 · about 7:48 pm local time
- Place
- , AO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Agusta AW139
- Registration
- PRSEK · no longer on the register · serial 31081
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 19, 2011, at 1948 coordinated universal time (16:48 local time), an Agusta, AW139, helicopter, Brazilian registration PT-SEK, impacted into the Atlantic Ocean, near an oil rig, identifier P-65, the helicopter sank in waters with a recorded floor depth of 100 meters (328 feet). The 2 person flight crew and 2 passengers have not been located and are presumed killed. The flight had just departed P-65 and was en route to Macae Municipality, Rio de Janerio, Brazil, at the time of the accident. The investigation is under the direction of the Government of Brazil. For further information contact: Aeronautical Accident Prevention and Investigation Center Investigative Division SHIS-QI 05-VI COMAR Brasilia-DF, Brazil 71.615-600 Tel: (55-61) 3364-8812 Email: dipaa.spai@cenipa.aer.mil.br This report is for informational purposes, and only contains information released by the government of Brazil.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Loss of control in flight during emergency descent defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Hydraulic power system › Hydraulic, main system › Failure
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Pilot
Crew member
- Certificate: foreign licence
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 9PSD P-65 Oil Rig
- Destination: SBME Rio De Janerio
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
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.