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
Sep 24, 2012	Theodore, AL	N781P	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain adequate obstacle clearance while taxiing.
Apr 17, 2012	Gulf of Mexico, LA	N56RD	Incident	substantial	The intermittent loss of engine power due to a "stuck" stepper motor in the No. 2 engine's fuel control as a result of an inadequate overhaul. Contrib… The intermittent loss of engine power due to a "stuck" stepper motor in the No. 2 engine's fuel control as a result of an inadequate overhaul. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to continue flying the helicopter with a known defect, his decision to depart with the helicopter over its maximum gross weight, and his decision to fly the approach to the oil platform at a high gross weight in a direction that provided limited go-around potential.
Dec 24, 2009	Gulf of Mexico, GM	N798P	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to fully land the helicopter prior to entering a turn in strong, crosswind conditions, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Oct 16, 2008	New York, NY	N552J	Incident	substantial	The failure of the flightcrew to stabilize the helicopter over its confined landing area during a hovering left-pedal turn, resulting in tail rotor bl… The failure of the flightcrew to stabilize the helicopter over its confined landing area during a hovering left-pedal turn, resulting in tail rotor blade contact with a perimeter fence component and a subsequent loss of directional control. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate markings of the heliport and heliport spots, and failure of FAA personnel to detect the inadequate heliport markings during inspection of the heliport approximately 1 month prior to the accident.
Apr 19, 2006	Houston, TX	N8063R	Incident	substantial	The failure by maintenance personnel to secure the tail rotor driveshaft cowling after performing maintenance which resulted in a loss of tail rotor c… The failure by maintenance personnel to secure the tail rotor driveshaft cowling after performing maintenance which resulted in a loss of tail rotor control. A contributing factor was the pilot's improper preflight inspection of the tail rotor driveshaft area.
Oct 12, 2005	New York City, NY	N76UT	Incident	substantial	The pilot flying's failure to maintain adequate aft hover clearance from a fence, and the pilot in command's delayed remedial action. A factor was th… The pilot flying's failure to maintain adequate aft hover clearance from a fence, and the pilot in command's delayed remedial action. A factor was the dark night lighting conditions.
Mar 11, 2002	Blackbushe, UK	G-XXEA	Incident	minor	Investigation pending
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.
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.
Aug 07, 1988	TETERBORO, NJ	N69WW	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Apr 05, 1986	SAFE HARBOR, PA	N221SC	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Mar 20, 1986	ATLANTIC CITY, NJ	N38	Incident	minor	Investigation pending
Jul 14, 1985	HARTFORD, CT	N3124L	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
May 01, 1984	HIGH ISL BLK595,	N763AL	Incident	substantial	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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