Sikorsky S76 accident near Calabasas, CA
On January 26, 2020, a Sikorsky S76 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Calabasas, CA. 9 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 26, 2020
- Place
- Calabasas, CA
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S76 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 9 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.111°N, 118.671°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200126X41436
Official records · DCA20MA059
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
- Investigation page: status, final report and safety recommendations
Air traffic control records
- ATC Group Chairman's Factual Report: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC Group Chairman's Factual Report - Attachment 2 - Record Of Conversation: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC Group Chairman's Factual Report - Attachment 3 - Partial ATC Communication Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC Group Chairman's Factual Report - Attachment 4 - Flight Track Graphics: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Errata - ATC Group Chairman's Factual Report - Attachment 5 - Ads-B Data - Cc: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
On January 26, 2020, about 0945 PST, a Sikorsky S76B helicopter, N72EX, crashed into hilly terrain near Calabasas, California. A post impact fire ensued and resulted in a brush fire. The eight passengers and one pilot onboard were fatally injured and the helicopter was destroyed. The helicopter was operated by Island Express Helicopters. Weather at Van Nuys airport, about 14 miles northeast of the site was reported as 1,100 feet overcast with 2 ½ miles visibility. The flight was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 135 under visual flight rules from John Wayne Airport (KSNA), Santa Ana, California, to Camarillo Airport (KCMA), Camarillo, California. An Investigative Webpage is located at https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA20MA059.aspx.
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to continue flight under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s likely self-induced pressure and the pilot’s plan continuation bias, which adversely affected his decision-making, and Island Express Helicopters Inc.’s inadequate review a
From Wikipedia
On January 26, 2020, a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter crashed into a hillside in the city of Calabasas, California around 25 mi (40 km) northwest of downtown Los Angeles, while en route from John Wayne Airport to Camarillo Airport. All nine people on board were killed: former professional basketball player Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna; baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and their 14-year-old daughter Alyssa; Sarah Chester and her 13-year-old daughter Payton; basketball coach Christina Mauser and the pilot Ara Zobayan.
The incident was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which concluded that it was caused by continued VFR into IMC: the helicopter entered low cloud cover, which caused the pilot to lose his sense of orientation and thus lose control of the helicopter.
Text from Wikipedia, “2020 Calabasas helicopter crash”, CC BY-SA 4.0; shortened to the introduction. Authors.
More accidents in CA
- Douglas MD-83, Feb 1, 2000
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32, Aug 31, 1986
- British Aerospace BAE-146-200, Dec 8, 1987
- Beech C-99, Aug 24, 1984
- Sikorsky S-61N, Aug 6, 2008
Browse: California · 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.
