NTSB -- NTSB CITES LACK OF BIRD STRIKE RESISTANT WINDSHIELD REQUIREMENTS IN FATAL CRASH OF HELICOPTER IN LOUISIANA

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NTSB PRESS RELEASE

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 24, 2010

SB-10-45

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NTSB CITES LACK OF BIRD STRIKE RESISTANT WINDSHIELD

REQUIREMENTS IN FATAL CRASH OF HELICOPTER IN LOUISIANA

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The National Transportation Safety Board today released a

final report on a fatal crash involving a transport-category

helicopter caused by a bird strike. The Board said the lack

of requirements for bird strike-resistant windshields

contributed to the crash, and called on the FAA to develop

such requirements.

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

helicopter (N748P), registered to and operated by PHI, Inc.,

crashed into marshy terrain near Morgan City, Louisiana

approximately 7 minutes after takeoff from Amelie,

Louisiana, on a charter flight to an oil rig in the Gulf of

Mexico. Both pilots and 6 of the 7 passengers were killed

in the crash.

The aircraft had reached level cruise flight at 850 feet

mean sea level and 135 knots when the cockpit voice recorder

recorded a loud bang, followed by sounds consistent with

rushing wind and a power reduction on both engines. The

aircraft crashed several seconds later. Feathers and other

bird debris were collected from the canopy and windshield of

the aircraft. Laboratory analysis identified the remains as

coming from a female red-tailed hawk; the average weight of

such a bird is 2.4 pounds.

The investigation revealed that the impact of the bird on

the canopy just above the windshield near the engine control

quadrant likely jarred the fire extinguisher T-handles out

of their detents and moved them aft, pushing both engine

control levers into or near the flight idle position,

reducing fuel to both engines. The pilots were probably

disoriented from the broken windshield and rushing air and

were unable to react in time to maintain control of the

helicopter.

The helicopter was originally equipped with laminated glass

windshields that complied with European bird-strike

resistance standards. PHI replaced the windshields with

lighter-weight, aftermarket cast acrylic windshields that

did not have any bird-strike resistance standards.

The NTSB determined that the helicopter crashed because of

the sudden loss of power to both engines following the bird

strike and the subsequent disorientation of the crewmembers.

Contributing to the accident, the Board said, were the lack

of FAA regulations and guidance requiring helicopter

windshields to be resistant to bird strikes, the lack of

protections that would prevent the T-handles from

inadvertently dislodging out of their detents, and the lack

of a master warning light and audible system to alert the

flight crew of a low-rotor speed condition.

Recommendations were issued to the FAA dealing with, among

other things, the design of S-76C++ fire extinguisher T-

handles and engine control quadrants, and similar designs of

other helicopters, and of audible low-rotor alarm systems;

certification standards for helicopter windshields; and

simultaneous dual-engine power loss training for helicopter

pilots.

A copy of the Board's report may be found on its website at

http://ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?id=CEN09MA117&rpt=fi.

A copy of the recommendation letter may be found at

http://ntsb.gov/Recs/letters/2010/A-10-136-147.pdf.

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NTSB Media Contact: Ted Lopatkiewicz

(202) 314-6100

lopatt@xxxxxxxx

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