Sikorsky S-58ET N65526

Summary

On 20 April 1985 at about 05:00 local time, a Sikorsky S-58ET registered N65526 was involved in an accident near Gulf of Mexico. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

20 April 1985 at 05:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Gulf of Mexico

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Sikorsky S-58ET

Registration

N65526

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Key West → Ft. Pierce

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA85FA153

3 people died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER DISAPPEARED WHILE ON AN OVERWATER FLT FROM KEY WEST, FL TO FT PEIRCE, FL. ONE OCCUPANT & THE WRECKAGE OF THE HELICOPTER WERE SUBSEQUENTLY RECOVERED FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE PLT & THE OTHER OCCUPANT WERE NOT LOCATED & WERE PRESUMED DEAD. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, 1 OF THE CREWMEMBERS WAS OVERHEARD TO SAY 'THAT DIDN'T SOUND GOOD'REFERRING TO SOME UNUSUAL SOUND AT THE TIME OF SHUT-DOWN. THE PLT TOLD A WITNESS THEY WERE HAVING MECHANICAL DIFFICULTY WHICH THEY WOULD CORRECT IN FT PIERCE. ANOTHER WITNESS HEARD THE PLT STATE TO 1 OF THE PAX THAT A CAP OR PART HAD FALLEN OFF & WAS MISSING. AN EXAM OF THE ROTATING & STATIONARY SWASHPLATES WHICH MADE UP THE STAR ASS'Y REVEALED THAT THEY HAD SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER. A METALLURGICAL EXAM REVEALED THAT 8 OF THE 12 BOLTS WHICH SECURED THE ROTATING STAR INNER RACE TO THE ASS'Y HAD FAILED IN FATIGUE; THE OTHER 4 BOLTS WERE MISSING. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE BELLY, TAIL CONE & PYLON.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.