WASHINGTON, PA, USA
N767SA
SIKORSKY S-76A
THE SIKORSKY S-76A WAS EN ROUTE BETWEEN TWO UNCONTROLLED HELIPORTS, OPERATING BELOW A CLOUD LAYER. THE SHIP INADVERTENTLY ENCOUNTERED REDUCED VISIBILITY AND THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER CLEAR OF THE AREA. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER ROTATED TO THE RIGHT & SETTLING WITH POWER. THE PLT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND TRIED TO FLY OUT, BUT THE SHIP CONTACTED TREES WITH THE MAIN ROTORS AND SETTLED TO THE GROUND ON THE LEFT SIDE, RECEIVING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PIC HAD DESCRIBED THE WEATHER TO THE SIC AS GOOD ENOUGH TO TAKE A LOOK, BUT NOT BAD ENOUGH TO CANCEL.
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) WHICH RESULTED IN HIS LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S FLIGHT INTO KNOWN WEATHER, THE ADVERSE WEATHER, AND TREES AT THE ACCIDENT SIGHT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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