Sikorsky SK-70 N23576

Summary

On 3 November 1989 at about 02:30 local time, a Sikorsky SK-70 registered N23576 was involved in an accident near Marathon, Florida, United States. 6 people were on board and one died, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 November 1989 at 02:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Marathon, Florida, United States

Coordinates

24.7103, -81.0801

Aircraft

Sikorsky SK-70

Registration

N23576

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Homestead Afb → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL90GA023

1 person died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE OVER THE OCEAN WATER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE HELICOPTER WITH A KNOWN PARTIAL DEFICIENCY OF THE RADIO ALTIMETER/WARNING SYSTEM, DARKNESS, THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION, FAILURE OF THE COPILOT TO ADEQUATELY MONITOR THE HELICOPTER'S ALTITUDE ABOVE THE WATER, AND INSUFFICIENT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS TO IDENTIFY INORDINATE FLIGHT RISKS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A NIGHT LAW ENFORCEMENT MISSION OVR THE OCEAN NR MARATHON, FL. AFTER TKOF, THE PIC NOTED THE RADARALTIMETER NEEDLE, WHICH ACTIVATED THE LOW ALT WARNING, WAS NOT FUNCTIONAL, THOUGH THE DIGITAL DISPLAY & COPLT'S RADAR ALTIMETER WERE OPERATING NORMALLY. AFTER ENTERING THE MISSION AREA, THE PIC BGN RANDOM MNVRS WITH THE ALT VARYING BTN 200 & 300 FT ABV THE WATER. THERE WAS AN ESTD 1000 FT OVC SKY COND WITH NO VISIBLE HRZN. BOTH PLTS WERE WEARING NIGHT VISION GOGGLES. THE COPLT OPERATED THE SEARCH LIGHT & WAS TO MONITOR THE INSTS. WHILE MNVRG TO KEEP A BOAT IN VIEW, THE HELICOPTER BGN DSCNDG & CONTACTED THE WATER. IMMEDIATELY, THE CABIN FILLED WITH WATER. ALL OF THE OCCUPANTS EGRESSED SUCCESSFULLY FM THE HELICOPTER, EXCEPT THE COPLT, WHO PRESUMABLY DROWNED. THE PIC & 2 OF THE OTR CREWMEMBERS WERE NOT INJURED; THE REMAINING 2 RCVD MINOR INJURIES. AN AGENCY OPNS HANDBOOK DISCUSSED HAZARDS/INCIDENTS, BUT NO MISSION RISK ASSESSMENT PROGRAM WAS IN PLACE FOR MANAGEMENT TO ADEQUATELY IDENTIFY THE LEVEL OF RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.