NTSB CAROL · Event
Event ERA12CA580
Registry · N781P
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
SIKORSKY S-76C
Year of manufacture
2006 · 6 years old at event
TCDS
H1NE · SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORP
Engine
TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2S2 (817 hp)
Seats / Engines
14 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date
20060929
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AA9582
Registrant of record
PHI HEALTH LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate obstacle clearance while taxiing.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during a hover taxi maneuver, the tail rotor made contact with a main rotor blade of a parked helicopter that was tied down. The taxiing helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor blades. Examination of the helicopter did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that during a hover-taxi maneuver, the tail rotor made contact with the main rotor blade of a parked helicopter that was tied down. The taxiing helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor blades. The pilot did not report and postaccident examination did not reveal any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot - C
- C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot - C
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2012_ERA12CA580.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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