How many accidents has the Sikorsky S-76 had?

The NTSB has recorded 47 events involving the Sikorsky S-76: 13 fatal, 9 serious, 7 minor injuries, and 16 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Sikorsky S-76 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Sikorsky S-76 has 47 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Sikorsky S-76 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 47 events recorded from 1983 to 2013.

All Events

Incidents

Minor

Serious

Fatal (53 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Jun 30, 1994	NEWPORT, RI	N76UT	Incident	substantial	the failure of the left hand helical gear in the main gear box (MGB), due to undertorqued attaching bolts installed by the manufacturer, which resulte… the failure of the left hand helical gear in the main gear box (MGB), due to undertorqued attaching bolts installed by the manufacturer, which resulted in a partial MGB failure. This failure resulted in the loss of the number one engine, illumination of the MGB chip light and a ditching to salt water on emergency floats.
Jun 15, 1993	CULLMAN, AL	N110AL	Incident	—	THE FAILURE OF COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO PROPERLY INSPECT THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL CABLE AT THE LAST 750 HOUR INSPECTION, AND THE SUBSEQUENT TOTA… THE FAILURE OF COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO PROPERLY INSPECT THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL CABLE AT THE LAST 750 HOUR INSPECTION, AND THE SUBSEQUENT TOTAL FAILURE OF THE CABLE DUE TO WEAR.
Aug 07, 1992	GRAEFENBURG, KY	N50KY	Serious (5)	destroyed	AN INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION BY THE FLIGHT CREW BY FAILING TO ASSURE THAT ALL FOUR OF THE ENGINE COWLING LATCHES WERE PROPERLY SECURED, WHICH RE… AN INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION BY THE FLIGHT CREW BY FAILING TO ASSURE THAT ALL FOUR OF THE ENGINE COWLING LATCHES WERE PROPERLY SECURED, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF SECTION II OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT AFTER THE COWLING CONTACTED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT.
Jun 14, 1992	MORGAN CITY, LA	N2620	Incident	substantial	THE SECOND PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL.
Mar 27, 1989	MANHATTAN, NY	N760P	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT OF THE OTHER HELICOPTER MISJUDGED CLEARANCE BETWEEN HIS AND THE OTHER HELICOPTER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE LAYOUT… THE PILOT OF THE OTHER HELICOPTER MISJUDGED CLEARANCE BETWEEN HIS AND THE OTHER HELICOPTER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE LAYOUT (MARKINGS) OF THE HELIPORT PARKING AREA, INSUFFICIENT STANDARD/REQUIREMENT FOR NUMERICAL INDICATION OF MAXIMUM ROTOR DIAMETER ACCOMMODATIONS AT THE HELICOPTER PARKING FACILITIES. FAILURE OF THE UNICOM OPERATOR TO ADVISE THE PILOTS OF PARKING SPOTS THAT WERE DESIGNATED FOR LARGER (S-76) HELICOPTERS, AND THE PROXIMITY OF THE OTHER HELICOPTER.
Feb 22, 1989	WASHINGTON, PA	N767SA	Serious (2)	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) WHICH RESULTED IN HIS LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO … THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) WHICH RESULTED IN HIS LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S FLIGHT INTO KNOWN WEATHER, THE ADVERSE WEATHER, AND TREES AT THE ACCIDENT SIGHT.
Aug 07, 1988	TETERBORO, NJ	N69WW	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jun 23, 1988	MOUNDSVILLE, WV	N54C	Minor	destroyed	Investigation pending
Mar 24, 1988	OFFSHORE OIL,	N1547N	Serious	—	Investigation pending
Feb 05, 1987	ANGLETON, TX	N767AL	Fatal (2)	destroyed	Investigation pending
Jun 06, 1986	SUTTON, MA	N5AZ	Fatal (4)	destroyed	Investigation pending
Apr 05, 1986	SAFE HARBOR, PA	N221SC	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Mar 20, 1986	ATLANTIC CITY, NJ	N38	Incident	minor	Investigation pending
Jan 05, 1986	GRAND ISLE BL73,	N7612L	Fatal	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 14, 1985	HARTFORD, CT	N3124L	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jun 28, 1985	EUGENE ISLAND,	N5404Y	Minor	substantial	Investigation pending
Feb 19, 1985	HOUMA, LA	N31223	Minor	destroyed	Investigation pending
Sep 22, 1984	UNIONVILLE, PA	N79K	Serious	substantial	Investigation pending
Aug 11, 1984	FORT DIX, NJ	N63WW	Fatal (1)	destroyed	Investigation pending
May 01, 1984	HIGH ISL BLK595,	N763AL	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Mar 06, 1984	SPARTANBURG, SC	N15479	Serious (1)	substantial	Investigation pending
Sep 14, 1983	CHICAGO, IL	N521AC	Minor	destroyed	Investigation pending

Disclaimer: This data is sourced from the NTSB Aviation Accident Database. NTSB events reflect reported accidents and incidents and do not necessarily indicate a defect in the aircraft type. Many events involve pilot error, weather conditions, maintenance issues, or other factors unrelated to the aircraft design. This information is provided for research purposes only — consult official NTSB reports for complete details.

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Data source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database · About our data

Sikorsky S-76 Safety Record

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