Sikorsky S-76A++ accident near Grand Lake, LA
On March 15, 2013, a Sikorsky S-76A++ (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Grand Lake, LA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 15, 2013
- Place
- Grand Lake, LA
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-76A++ · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 30.039°N, 93.168°W
- NTSB ID
- 20130315X34542
Official records · CEN13FA192
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC 3 - ATC Specialist's Report: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC 3 - Attachment 2 - ATC Mode 3/A code 1200 Radar Data: Document (TXT), on ntsb.gov
- ATC 3 - Attachment 1 - Air Traffic Controller Statements: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 15, 2013, about 1147 central daylight time, a Sikorsky S-76A++ helicopter, N574EH, was destroyed after ground impact near Grand Lake, Louisiana. All three occupants onboard, the pilot and two maintenance personnel, were fatally injured. The helicopter was registered to Era Helicopters LLC and was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a post-maintenance check flight of avionics systems. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, which departed from Lake Charles Regional Airport (LCH), Lake Charles, Louisiana at 1119. At 1120, LCH tower controller instructed the pilot to report inbound to LCH at the completion of the maintenance flight. The pilot acknowledged and advised he would remain on the LCH air traffic control (ATC) frequency. At 1145, the pilot advised LCH ATC that he was about 10 miles to the south of LCH and would be returning for landing. At 1146:57, the pilot called LCH tower controller and advised he had an emergency and would be immediately landing off the airport. At 11:47:02, the pilot called the Era Helicopters company dispatcher and advised that he had a problem and would be landing immediately. The wreckage of the helicopter was found about 5 miles southeast of the threshold for Runway 33 at LCH. The majority of the helicopter was consumed by a post-crash fire. Several witnesses noticed the accident helicopter as it flew toward the accident site. The first witness, a helicopter pilot, stated that he observed the accident helicopter in a shallow descent as it passed just e
Probable cause
Fracture of the red tail rotor blade spar, which resulted in the separation and departure of the red tail rotor blade from the helicopter and subsequent compromised tail gearbox. The red tail rotor blade was not recovered, thus the cause of the initial fracture could not be determined.
More accidents in LA
- Sikorsky S-76C, Jan 4, 2009
- Cessna 411A, May 8, 1986
- Piper PA 31T, Dec 28, 2019
- Beech E90, Jun 24, 2005
- Bell 206L-3, May 10, 1994
Browse: Louisiana · Sikorsky aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
