Sikorsky S76A accident near Ship Shoal 290K, June 17, 1991
On June 17, 1991 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Sikorsky S76A (helicopter), registered N5418N, was destroyed in an accident near Ship Shoal 290K. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 10 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE COPILOT'S REDUCTION OF POWER TO GROUND IDLE ON BOTH ENGINES. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S POOR LANDING TECHNIQUE AND HIS FAILURE TO ESTABLISH ADEQUATE CREW COORDINATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1991 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ship Shoal 290K
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 10 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S76A · all S76As on the register
- Registration
- N5418N · no longer on the register · serial 760209
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LANDING AT AN OFF SHORE OIL RIG THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) ALLOWED THE HELICOPTER TO DRIFT AND PLACED THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR OFF THE PLATFORM ONTO THE SAFETY APRON. THE PIC UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TWO REPOSITIONING MANEUVERS AND THEN DECIDED TO TAKEOFF AND LAND AGAIN. DURING THE TAKEOFF FROM A HOVER THE PIC APPLIED INCREASED COLLECTIVE. THE HELICOPTER RESPONDED BY TURNING RIGHT AROUND ITS VERTICAL AXIS. THE CO-PILOT (CP) INTERPRETERED THE RIGHT TURN AS A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, SO HE BROUGHT BOTH ENGINES OFF LINE BY REDUCING THE SPEED LEVERS TO GROUND IDLE. THE ACTION OF THE CP WAS TAKEN WITHOUT COORDINATION OR ANNOUNCEMENT TO HIS PIC. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE PLATFORM AND THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED TO THE WATER. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE DISCOVERED.
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: 16,154 hours in all; 5,305 in this make and model; 243 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 12,377 as pilot in command; 71 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 14
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250-C30E (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Ship Shoal 209A GM at 11:44 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
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.