Sikorsky S-76A accident near Angleton, Texas, February 5, 1987
On February 5, 1987 at about 2:00 am local time, a Sikorsky S-76A (helicopter), registered N767AL, was destroyed in an accident near Angleton, Texas (Brazoria County airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- February 5, 1987 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Angleton, Texas · Brazoria County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-76A · all S-76As on the register
- Registration
- N767AL · registry record · serial 760030
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, THE PLT CONTACTED HIS COMPANY (OPNS) & SAID HE HAD INADVERTENTLY ENCTRD IFR CONDS. HE ASKED OPNS TO RELAY INFO TO HIM FM THE APCH PLATE FOR THE ILS RWY 17 APCH TO BRAZORIA COUNTY ARPT. AFTER RCVG THE INFO, HE CONTACTED HOUSTON APCH CTL & ASKED FOR THE ILS. VECTORS WERE PROVIDED & HE WAS CLRD FOR THE ILS; HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO GET ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH. THREE ATMTS WERE MADE WITH THE LAST BEING A NO-GYRO APCH. DRG THIS TIME, SIMULTANEOUS RADIO CONTACT WAS MAINTD WITH APCH CTL & OPNS. HIS GND SPEED VARIED FM 106 TO 28 KTS. JUST BFR THE ACDNT, HE SAID, '. . . I'VEGOT AN ALTITUDE PROBLEM,' THEN AFTER A SHORT DELAY, HE STATED '. . . I AM GOING TO CRASH.' THE WRECKAGE WAS FND APRX 1 MI NW OF THE OUTER MARKER, SCATTERED OVR A 2445' AREA. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HAD HIT THE TAIL BOOM & RADOME & SEPD IN FLT. ONE BLADE HAD A PREEXISTING CRACK, BUT BLUE PAINT MATCHING THE TAIL BOOM WAS FND ON THE BLADE. THE1950 CDT WX AT GALVESTON (32 MI ENE), WAS IN PART: 400' OVC, 3 MI VIS WITH FOG & HAZE, WIND FM 080 DEG AT 18KTS.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,468 hours in all; 1,245 in this make and model; 6,468 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,589 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 26, 1987; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,500 lb
- Seats: 14
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250-C30S (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Air Logistics,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: TA86 Freeport TX at 1:45 am
- Destination: LBX Angleton TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from GLS, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.