Sikorsky S-64E accident near Tucson, Arizona, July 8, 2003
On July 8, 2003 at about 1:34 am local time, a Sikorsky S-64E (helicopter), registered N6979R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona. It was a public-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain tail rotor clearance while hovering resulting in a tail rotor blade strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2003 · about 1:34 am local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-64E · all S-64Es on the register
- Registration
- N6979R · registry record · serial 64079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a series of water drops were conducted on a forest fire, the helicopter's crew refilled the fixed tank with water from a dip tank via a snorkel. The dip tank was located in mountainous terrain and there were two mesquite trees near the tank. During the refilling operation, the tail rotor blades contacted the trees; however, the flight crew was unaware of the strike. The tail rotor blade damage was noticed when ground personnel detected damage to the number one exhaust stack, and the helicopter was inspected further. One of the four tail rotor blades incurred spar damage on the leading edge, approximately 14.5 inches from the tip end.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Last flight review: May 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,746.9 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 42,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney JFTD12A-4A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney JFTD12A-4A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KTUS Tucson AZ
- Destination: Sabino Helispot AZ
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 104°F (40°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX03TA229.