NTSB -- NTSB TO RELEASE FACTUAL REPORTS ON FATAL 2009 HELICOPTER ACCIDENT IN LOUISIANA

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NTSB ADVISORY

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

January 6, 2010

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NTSB TO RELEASE FACTUAL REPORTS ON

FATAL 2009 HELICOPTER ACCIDENT IN LOUISIANA

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The National Transportation Safety Board will open its

public docket Thursday on a January 2009 helicopter accident

that killed 8 persons.

On January 4, 2009, a Sikorsky S-76C++ helicopter

(N748P), operated by PHI, Inc., crashed into swampy terrain

just north of the Gulf of Mexico coastline near Morgan City,

Louisiana. The aircraft was on a Part 135 revenue flight to

an oil platform when it crashed about 7 minutes after

takeoff. Eight of the nine persons aboard lost their lives.

The docket will contain factual reports prepared by

the investigative team, including reports on aircraft

structures, aircraft systems, the transcript of the cockpit

voice recorder, and toxicology reports. A comprehensive

materials laboratory report on the windscreen structure and

a report on the flight data recorder information will be

added to the docket in the next several weeks.

The docket will be published on the Board's website at

www.ntsb.gov, under "Accident Dockets" on the home page, at

1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Thursday, January 7. No

determination of cause will be rendered at this time. This

is a factual release only; no interviews will be conducted

by NTSB personnel.

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NTSB Media Contact: Ted Lopatkiewicz

(202) 314-6100

lopatt@xxxxxxxx

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