Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Aircrew Forums > Rotorheads
Reload this Page >

PHI lose S76 in GOM

Wikiposts
Search
Rotorheads A haven for helicopter professionals to discuss the things that affect them

PHI lose S76 in GOM

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 23rd Oct 2006, 11:16
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Okrika
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
PHI lose S76 in GOM

I hear that PHI lost an S76 in the GOM yesterday. Reports are that it had just 2 crew on board and they escaped unharmed. I don't know if the floats didn't work, but the reports I've seen say the aircraft sunk and that it took 3 hours to rescue the crew.
etienne t boy is offline  
Old 23rd Oct 2006, 20:58
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Baghdad, Iraq / Union, KY-USA
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
NTSB Prelim Report

Posted elsewhere on the web.

************************************************************ ********************
** Report created 10/23/2006 Record 1 **
************************************************************ ********************

IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 22342 Make/Model: S76 Description: S-76, H-76, AUH-76, SPIRIT, EAGLE (HE-24
Date: 10/22/2006 Time: 1230

Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Minor Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
City: EUGENE ISLAND State: LA Country: US

DESCRIPTION
N22342, A SIKORSKY S-76A ROTORCRAFT, WHILE ON A REPOSITIONING FLIGHT TO
OFFSHORE PLATFORM, CRASHED INTO THE WATER AND SANK, THE TWO PERSONS ON
BOARD SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, EUGENE ISLAND, LA

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 2 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 2 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:


OTHER DATA
Activity: Pleasure Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER

Departed: AMELIA, LA Dep Date: Dep. Time:
Destination: EUGENE ISLAND, LA Flt Plan: VFR Wx Briefing:
Last Radio Cont:
Last Clearance:

FAA FSDO: BATON ROUGE, LA (SW03) Entry date: 10/23/2006
frankp is offline  
Old 23rd Oct 2006, 22:41
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: UK
Age: 44
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From the FAA -

IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 22342 Make/Model: S76 Description: S-76, H-76, AUH-76, SPIRIT, EAGLE (HE-24
Date: 10/22/2006 Time: 1230

Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Minor Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
City: EUGENE ISLAND State: LA Country: US

DESCRIPTION
N22342, A SIKORSKY S-76A ROTORCRAFT, WHILE ON A REPOSITIONING FLIGHT TO
OFFSHORE PLATFORM, CRASHED INTO THE WATER AND SANK, THE TWO PERSONS ON
BOARD SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, EUGENE ISLAND, LA

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 2 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 2 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:


OTHER DATA
Activity: Pleasure Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER

Departed: AMELIA, LA Dep Date: Dep. Time:
Destination: EUGENE ISLAND, LA Flt Plan: VFR Wx Briefing:
Last Radio Cont:
Last Clearance:

FAA FSDO: BATON ROUGE, LA (SW03) Entry date: 10/23/2006
gazbert is offline  
Old 25th Oct 2006, 02:45
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Over here
Posts: 1,030
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The FAA preliminary data is often garbled, confusing, and just plain wrong. I've seen Eurocopter accidents reported as Bells with no correction for weeks, and the reports are often just comical, apparently written by someone who has never seen a helicopter. Do not rely on anything in an FAA preliminary accident report.
Gomer Pylot is offline  
Old 26th Oct 2006, 02:52
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Downeast
Age: 75
Posts: 18,290
Received 516 Likes on 215 Posts
From two sources....no mechanical problem prior to the impact. Customer reported the aircraft missing to PHI....well after the crash. Captain is fine, Co-pilot was in the hospital overnight.

Crew was not IFR checked or approved on the S-76A+ aircraft but were VFR rated for Part 135 Flights.

No IFR flight plan had been filed....thus no IFR Clearance...lots of questions are raised by the accident and loss of the aircraft.

The good news is the two pilots survived, and are standing up to their responsibilities. The failed approach was made in heavy rain and very poor visibility....apparantly below company VFR minima.

The Captain recently arrived in the GOM from an EMS job in Indiana....the co-pilot was a new hire and new to the GOM.

Perhaps those closer to PHI than I am, can provide more details....what say you REV, INSIDER, and WRENCH1?
SASless is offline  
Old 28th Oct 2006, 11:43
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Still nothing on the NTSB site.

Whoose B407 ditched the following day?
sox6 is offline  
Old 28th Oct 2006, 15:02
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Over here
Posts: 1,030
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by sox6
Still nothing on the NTSB site.
Whoose B407 ditched the following day?
Rotorcraft Leasing.
Gomer Pylot is offline  
Old 29th Oct 2006, 18:12
  #8 (permalink)  
wde
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Heard a rumour:

The NTSB will not be investigating the accident; that the accident has been classified as an incident; that there is very little public information available; that the crew lost control due to a microburst on the tail end of an instrument approach below minima and ended up in the water.

As a '76 driver, I sure would like to know if there are any aircraft related issues that caused this accident...

Anyone think that the lack of information is related to the current labor situation...
wde is offline  
Old 29th Oct 2006, 19:28
  #9 (permalink)  
thecontroller
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
how can this not be classed as an "accident"? can you imagine the CAA doing that?!

Part 830 NTSB says:

an “Accident” is “an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and all such persons have disembarked, and in which any person suffers death or serious injury, or in which the aircraft receives substantial damage.

"Substantial damage means damage or failure which adversely affects the structural strength, performance, or flight characteristics of the aircraft, and which would normally require major repair or replacement of the affected component."


i guess the aircaft sinking to the bottom of the sea doesn't affect the structural strength, performance, or flight characteristics of the aircraft!?
 
Old 29th Oct 2006, 19:36
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: USA
Age: 75
Posts: 3,012
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Although this is a rumor network, beware of rumors!

The word on the street is that the pilot is a stand-up guy, and blames no microburst or alien hovercraft downwash. Poor vis, rain, and a tricky rig approach causing surprise water contact is the rumor I heard.

Also, if any ppruner wants to bet me that the NTSB will not invesitgate this accident, I am on, because the NTSB will have their antennae up for any strike-caused laxity. PM me with the amount you want to bet, I will take on all comers!
NickLappos is offline  
Old 30th Oct 2006, 01:48
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Beyond the black stump!
Posts: 1,419
Received 15 Likes on 8 Posts
Heard a rumour:

The NTSB will not be investigating the accident; that the accident has been classified as an incident; that there is very little public information available; that the crew lost control due to a microburst on the tail end of an instrument approach below minima and ended up in the water.
I'm afraid that really runs at the bottom end of the intelligent, informed, comments that have ever cropped up here. How on earth can the total loss of an aircraft, in flight, meet anyones criteria of an incident? Do you think they just make this stuff up at the NTSB and cover up the accidents that would not be politically correct?

As Nick points out, want to raise the level of oversight from the Feds, be it FAA, OSHA, etc; just try a strike! And it won't just be your local management doing the oversight either. If any one takes on Nick for a bet, count me in too. I'll offer some startling odds!

NTSB definition of an accident.

Federal regulations require operators to notify the NTSB immediately of aviation accidents and certain incidents. An accident is defined as an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft that takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and all such persons have disembarked, and in which any person suffers death or serious injury, or in which the aircraft receives substantial damage. An incident is an occurrence other than an accident that affects or could affect the safety of operations. (See 49 CFR 830.)
Cyclic Hotline is offline  
Old 30th Oct 2006, 02:26
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Age: 57
Posts: 321
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
With reference to the PHI accident, I was told that the accident occured whislt the Helicopter was circling the platform, in awful weather, and there was a conversation between the pilots about turning the wipers on. There was some confusion, and both pilots had there heads inside, then impacted with the water. Just what is being sad...
Darren999 is offline  
Old 30th Oct 2006, 07:09
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Cornwall
Age: 75
Posts: 1,307
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Is it or is it not an 'accident'

The perception this side of the water is that the official accident statistics do NOT contain those occurrences that, even though they may be investigated by the NTSB, are subsequently classified as 'incidents'.

If what the regs apparently say is true then this cannot be the case.
If somebody in the 'know' reviews the stats can we see ALL those incidents that involved no serious injury/fatality reflected in the 'accident stats'.

The reason I ask is because I was told by a source that I hitherto trusted that they were NOT included. A case in point was a Bo105 that ditched after losing one engine and all on board stepped into liferaft after power-on ditching. The aircraft subsequently rolled over and was damaged severely. I was told that this was not included in the accident stats for that year.
Your help in clarifying appreciated.
Geoffers
Geoffersincornwall is offline  
Old 30th Oct 2006, 12:46
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Over here
Posts: 1,030
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The NTSB does not fully investigate every accident. They apparently have said that since they already know what happened, no further investigation is needed. At least that's the rumor in the Gulf.
Gomer Pylot is offline  
Old 30th Oct 2006, 15:17
  #15 (permalink)  
"Just a pilot"
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Jefferson GA USA
Age: 74
Posts: 632
Received 7 Likes on 4 Posts
Gomer Pylot,
Is there anything in the rumor that this wasn't an IFR crew?
Why not? other than "meat in the seat"? When I left the GoM in '97 (Never flew with the PIC) PHI had long since gotten out of VFR mediums...
Devil 49 is offline  
Old 31st Oct 2006, 00:15
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 753
Received 24 Likes on 19 Posts
Devil,
Nick L. got it pretty good above. Also, crew met all the requirements - and I commend and respect their professionalism during this matter.

As for the NTSB, GP and Geoff are right - the NTSB has a matrix that assists in dictating the level of investigation.

In reference to "substantial structural damage" - it depends how, when, where, etc. the damage was sustained - keep in mind the main trigger for the NTSB is the people side - serious injury & death.

Most of the "substantial damage" was done during recovery. You will get differing definitions on "substantial" but from what I have experienced it is the difference between whether the operator or the manufacturer can fix it - providing the human factor trigger was not hit.

W1
wrench1 is offline  
Old 31st Oct 2006, 02:42
  #17 (permalink)  
"Just a pilot"
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Jefferson GA USA
Age: 74
Posts: 632
Received 7 Likes on 4 Posts
"Met all the requiements" ? As in, they were a 135 IFR crew?
If not, next question- Was PHI back to VFR mediums before the strike?
Devil 49 is offline  
Old 31st Oct 2006, 03:36
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Texas
Posts: 512
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I don't know this for a fact, but the rumor is that the PIC was not IFR current. From conversations with PICs who have flown with the SIC, he has about 500 total hours, and the consensus is that he was basically ballast. He does have a MySpace site using the screen name 'Crash'.

Before the strike nobody would ever be sent out as a PIC without a current IFR checkride, but with the current shortages I suppose concessions must be made.

The PIC has emailed friends that there was no malfunction, and he just 'screwed up', and is uncertain whether he will continue to fly. I predict that he will.
GLSNightPilot is offline  
Old 31st Oct 2006, 09:23
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 753
Received 24 Likes on 19 Posts
From my info - crew was IFR qualified and current - and a flight plan filed. I believe the SIC "500 hr" item is a reference his multi-time and he had recently upgraded to left seat so I do not know hours in type.

The only possible VFR mediums that come to mind, maybe the EMS 412's on the east coast - but I believe there were other issues why they weren't IFR (?)

W1
wrench1 is offline  
Old 1st Nov 2006, 01:02
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Portland and Various
Age: 47
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From the myspace blog of "Crash" who claims to be the 2IC of the S76 that went down
*disclaimer, I make no statement regarding the veracity of the following:

On Sunday October 22nd I woke up at 0400 just like any other workday. I got dressed, ate a bananna with peanut butter and was on the rode by 0430 to the Morgan City base to preflight my helicopter. I met with my PIC (pilot in command) and he informed me we would be launching at daybreak to pick up one guy 60 miles offshore at Eugene Island 259C (EI259C). We watched the weather and waited for daylight. The day before I was the pilot flying and we attempted this flight twice, both times we decided to cancel the flight and turn around. Ok back to Sunday, after daybreak we got our last weather briefing the weather was good enough to make the flight. When we got to the beach the weather was marginal but once we got over the water our visibility cleared to 20 miles to the east and 10 miles to the west. There were thunderstorms all around but clear in our line of flight. The cloud ceiling was roughly 500-700 feet and solid overcast. As we made our way inbound to EI259C I made a 20 minute out call to let them know that we were inbound. The platform informed us they were experiencing low clouds and rain. I told them we would make a 5 minute call and let them know if we had to turn around. As we got closer the weather radar in the cockpit showed the platform and the rainshower they were experiencing. When we were approimately 5 minutes out I made the final call, the platform gave me a green deck that means we were cleared to land. As we made our way inbound rain started obscuring our vision on the windshield but still plenty of visibility. The pilot in command turned to the west so I could search for the platform out of the left window, soon the platform came into sight. We made our prelanding checks and started setting ourself up for the approach. The rain became moderate and the visibility was around 3 miles. The platform was in plain view, I stated to the PIC that he could turn to the left and set himself up perfectly for landing into the wind. The last call I made we were roughly 400 feet on the radar altimeter, the PIC called for windsheild wipers. I stated "windshield wipers" and reached for the switch. From that point it all seems like a bad dream. As I reached the switch we impacted the water at roughly 100mph. The windshield blew out and the cockpit immediately filled with water and flipped upside down. I was shocked and went into rescue mode, a calm came over me and I waited for the cockpit to fill to equalize the pressure. Once we were inverted and the cockpit was summerged, I pulled the emergency lever to jettison the door and then released my seatbelt and exited the aircraft. On the surface I could smell jet fuel and the only thing you could see was the belly of the helicopter with the wheels out. I pulled the inflate handles on my switlik survival vest. The vest inflated and I pulled out my EPIRB ( personal GPS emergency tracking device ) and activated it along with my strobe light. I didnt see my PIC and made my way around to the other side of the helicopter. He seemed to be ok and he was hanging on to the side of the helicopter. As the helicopter started to go under I stated that we should back away so it wouldnt grab an article of clothing and pull us under with it. We backed away and watched the helicopter dissappear into the dark gulf water. The sea state was about 4-6 foot waves and the temp was approx. 68-72 degrees. The storm moved over the top of us and was rain was pelting us. 4-6 foot seas are not huge but I found myself under water half of the time. I had on steel toe shoes that weighted me down but was uneasy about kicking them off so I could retain body heat. As I lay there in the water I thought to myself someone will be here soon to get us. I looked around and could see rigs in the distance with boats and choppers coming and going but too far away to see us. Now that the helicopter was at the bottom of the ocean it will definitely be harder to see us. After failed attempts and dreams that someone would see us, I asked the PIC for his EPIRB. I set it off as well and thought well maybe my unit is broken and this one will work for sure. After 30 or 40 minutes I thought to myself how in the hell can we still be here and noone looking for us?? My P:IC said he couldnt feel his arms and legs like a hypothermic state was overtaking him. I was thinking to myself I felt fine but I can't let this guy go down. I made the suggestion to swim to a nearby platform about 2 miles away. We argued if we would be exhausted or not but I won by saying lets attempt to swim that way because the current seems to be pulling us toward it anyway. It gave us a goal to achieve so we would sit there and think about our impending doom. One hour into the swim me and the PIC started drifting further apart, didnt matter we were going the same direction but I kept an eye out just to see that he was still ok. Then I received a powerful strike to my right leg, everyones worst fears were happening to me.....I knew a shark had found me and this was the end. Then another swift blow to the stomach area. OMG I thought I am going to die. I didnt feel pain, just a sharp blow with about 20 pounds of pressure behind it. The strikes became more intense and more frequent. then one swam under me. It was a shark OMG!!! I was getting hit about 5 times a second but no damage no blood. I knew I must have received a cut or wound from the crash because the fish were way to persistant. I thought to myself "how can I live through an impact to the water, turn upside down under water, escape, and get eaten by a shark?" We all have our time to go and I thought this was it. I made my peace with God and knew I would never hold my child Kaiden in my arms again and he would grow up always wondering what his father was like" I began to cry out to god for help as the fish were trying to feed off of my body. I swam harder and faster to make my way to the rig. The weight of the steel toe shoes I was wearing was tiring me even more but I knew if I kicked them off I would have problems climbing the barnacle encrusted ladder on the rig. The rain stopped but the wind had picked up to 40kts or so. only a mile or less to the rig now and I wasn't giving up, I could see my PIC swimming in the same direction about 50 yards from me. I swam for about another hour and made it within 75 feet of the platform. I was then swimming against the current, I didnt know if I would have the strength to make it the last 50 feet. Every time I would make it 10 feet or so the waves would push me back. I rolled over to my back and used my arms and legs to propel me through the water. 2 hours and 30 minutes I had been swimming when my hand got a grip on the the rung of the ladder. The barnacles sliced into my hand and I smiled, that is the best pain I had ever felt. I climbed up the ladder to the mezzanine and got on my all fours to praise god for helping me have strength to make it to this platform. My PIC also made it and we started searching the rig for food, water anything that would help us be rescued. We found a bunkhouse that had two beds, blankets, pillows, 2 cases of coke, a case of water, peanut butter, spam, and tuna fish. We could last for a few days out here if need be. I took off my clothes to dry them and saw why the fish were after me. My right leg had a puncture wound 1 and 1/2 inches wide and about 2 inches deep. It was bleeding down my leg to my foot. I found a first aid kit and sterilized the wound, put betadine on it and wrapped it with a compress. My PIC was shaking almost in a state of shock, I made him drink some water and gatorade. He wrapped up in blankets and laid down on the bunk. I made my way up to the helipad to see what was around. I tried to wave my survival vest at them and turned the strobe light on but I was too far away they couldnt see me. I went back down to the first deck to check on my PIC and find some paint to make an SOS sign on the helideck. My PIC was ok and I continued to search for paint. I found no paint and decided to go back up top and spend the rest of my day trying to get help. I attached my survival vest and pants to the helicopter tie downs on the deck so if anyone flew over the deck could see we were there. I waited on top for roughly an hour and no one even attempted to find us. This is crazy I thought, we have two GPS tracking devices and a communication center with 20 controllers that should be in contact with us. I began to lose hope that we were going to be rescued that day. Ohh I forgot to tell you that this one platform was damaged by hurricane Katrina so there was no power or people on it. Finally in the distance I saw a helicopter heading directly toward us. I got up and unbuckled the safety vest and waved it side to side so the helicopter would see me. Of course how do you miss a fat kid in his underwear jumping up and with a bloody bandage on his leg? The helicopter made a circle back around to see what I was doing. They saw I needed help and pulled into a hover. I gave them hand signs to call for help they gave me a thumbs up and then took off. Within minutes there was an S-76 and a 407 there to pick us up. The 407 landed and loaded us up and took us to the hospital. The 407 landed on the hospital helipad and the nurses met us up top. In the hospital many people were there to question us and nurses are starting I.V.'s , blood work was being drawn and heart moniters were being hooked up, I was happy to be there. The doctor examined me and came back to tell me they were keeping my overnight. My CK level was 1200 and that was a little high. Your CK level shows your muscles are starting to breakdown. The two and one half hour swim took a toll on my body. He said that they wanted it to come down before I was released because if it stays high or increases it can send you into kidney failure. They set me up in a bed in the ER because the hospital was full. One benefit to this is I got to take a shower in the nurses lounge WOOHOO!
I am at home now waiting on the investigation, they recovered the helicopter and I have a few meetings that I will have to go to. I will go back to the company I work for and I will fly the 76 again.
Thanks for all your love and support
aclark79 is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.