Sikorsky S-76A accident near Santa Maria, California, June 27, 2008
On June 27, 2008 at about 7:33 pm local time, a Sikorsky S-76A (helicopter), registered N343AA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Santa Maria, California (Platform Irene Heliport airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 9 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The copilot's misjudged clearance from an object during a hovering turn for landing. Contributing to the accident were the inadequately marked heliport surface and the close proximity of an obstruction near the landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 2008 · about 7:33 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Maria, California · Platform Irene Heliport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 9 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-76A · all S-76As on the register
- Registration
- N343AA · registry record · serial 760013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter's copilot was performing the landing on an oil production platform and making a right pedal turn over the heliport surface when the tail rotor of the helicopter struck a movable derrick. The copilot lost tail rotor authority and landed immediately. The left main gear collapsed and the helicopter rolled onto the left side. The helicopter received structural damage to the tail rotor and main rotor assemblies. The operator reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter. Six days before the accident, the movable derrick on the platform had been positioned to its closest location to the heliport area, 7 feet from the southeast edge of the heliport deck. None of the derricks on the other platforms used by the operator can be positioned this close to the flight deck. The deck area of the accident platform's heliport is 50 feet by 50 feet, compared to an area of about 70 feet by 70 feet on the other platform heliport decks. In the past, the accident platform had different markings than those on the other decks, including a reference line, or "Butt Line," to determine the location of the pilot seat that would allow adequate tail rotor clearance during a pedal turn. The deck on the accident platform had been stripped and repainted about 2 months before the accident, and the new markings were similar to those on the other decks; however, the "H" symbol was offset from the previous position to be about 1 foot closer to the southeast side of the deck, and the reference line had not been repainted.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
- Roll over during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Perception › Copilot
- factor Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway markings/signage › Effect on operation
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Not specified
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,803 hours in all; 6,613 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 18,000 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 36,000 hours in all; 1,212 in this make and model; 32,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,310 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 14
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royce 250-C30 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royce 250-C30 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Artic Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: SMX Santa Maria CA at 7:02 pm
- Destination: Santa Maria CA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KVBG, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 8 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX08LA200.