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| Date: | Friday 30 April 1982 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Sikorsky S-76A |
| Owner/operator: | Okanagan Helicopters |
| Registration: | C-GIMF |
| MSN: | 760038 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2255 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 105 km NNE off Songkhla, Gulf of Thailand -
 Thailand
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Offshore |
| Departure airport: | Songkhla |
| Erawan LQ | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
An Okanagan Helicopters Sikorsky S-76 crashed in the Gulf of Thailand, killing all 13 occupants.
The helicopter departed 07:13 for a gas field in the sea. The flight was heading 020 degrees at 5000 ft and cruising at 130 kt. The pilot reported check point A at 07:30 and estimated check point B at 07:44. At 0744 the pilot transmitted a mayday and reported partial loss of tail rotor control. He entered autorotation and slowed to 90 kt, but was unable to stop the aircraft from rotating. His last transmission was at 1000 ft. Debris and an oil slick were found at lat. 08 deg 06 min n long. 100 deg 57 min e.
The wreckage was retrieved from the sea 6 days after the accident. The left tail rotor control cable was fractured due to a combination of wear, rapid fatigue and tensile overload, probably caused by improper rigging.
Crashed into sea following loss of tail rotor control. A tail rotor control cable had been routed over a stainless steel grommet in the area of pulleys (2) under the Main Gear Box. The bracket holding these pulleys did not allow for visual confirmation of the routing. With a broken tail rotor control cable at that time, the tail rotor went immediately to full pitch, a condition from which a recovery was not possible.
A self centering device like that of the H-60 was later added which, under the same circumstances, would result in the T/R centering allowing a run-on landing to be performed. In September 1983 a US-registered S-76 (N521AC) ditched in Lake Michigan following loss of tail rotor control.
Sources:
World Airliner Crashes/Terry Denham
https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1982/1982%20-%201844.PDF
Similar issue https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f213ed915d13740003d5/dft_avsafety_pdf_501789.pdf
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 11-Jun-2010 12:20 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 02-Jun-2012 01:51 | Anon. | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, ] |
| 01-Nov-2016 13:30 | Owenthai | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 12-Jul-2019 21:31 | Aerossurance | Updated [Nature, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 15-Feb-2025 09:48 | ASN | Updated [Location, Nature, Narrative, Category, ] |
| 30-Apr-2025 08:09 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, ] |
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