Sikorsky S-76A accident near Grand Isle Bl73, January 5, 1986
On January 5, 1986 at about 2:03 pm local time, a Sikorsky S-76A (helicopter), registered N7612L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Isle Bl73. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- January 5, 1986 · about 2:03 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Isle Bl73
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-76A · all S-76As on the register
- Registration
- N7612L · no longer on the register · serial 760054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ROLLED OVER IN A HIGH X-WIND AFTER LANDING WHILE DEPLANING PASSENGERS. THE ACFT HAD LANDED ON A MOVING BARGE. A LANDING INTO THE WIND WAS BLOCKED BY A CRANE SO THE PLT SIDESLIPPED FROM A FLT PATH THAT PARALLELED THE SHIPS MOVEMENT. THE WIND WAS ACROSS THE BARGE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. AFTER LANDING THE PLT DID NOT CHANGE THE X-WIND HEADING OF THE ACFT. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS THE ACFT WAS HEADING TOWARD THE RT SIDE OF THE VESSEL & THE WIND WAS FROM THE LEFT. THE PLT LEFT THE ENGS AT 'FLY' BECAUSE HE WAS UNSURE OF THE STABILITY OF THE POSITION BUT HE ALLOWED THE PASSENGERS TO DEPLANE. AS THE PASSENGERS DEPLANED WITNESSES SAID THE ACFT'S LEFT LANDING GEAR LIFTED SLIGHTLY OFF THE DECK. THIS REPORTEDLY HAPPENED 2 OR 3 TIMES BEFORE THE ACFT ROLLED OVER. THE PLT STATED THAT AS THE ROLL BEGAN HE APPLIED FULL LEFT CYCLIC WITH NO EFFECT. ONE WITNESS SAID THAT THERE WAS A STRONG GUST OF WIND AT THE TIME OF THE ROLL-OVER.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,489 hours in all; 1,111 in this make and model; 195 in the last 90 days; 6,373 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,225 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 10, 1985; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,500 lb
- Seats: 14
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30S (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Amelia LA at 1:20 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.