Rotorcraft Update: Eight killed in South Korea S-76 crash

A Sikorsky S-76 hit an electrical tower near the port city of Chinhae, South Korea,  on July 5 and crashed into the sea, killing eight of the 12 people on board, including the chairman of the country’s Dongkuk Steel Mill. The accident occurred during daytime, but “it was raining hard and visibility was not good at the time of the accident [about 11:45 a.m.],” a Chinhae police officer was quoted in published reports. A Korean news agency reported that the pilot, who survived, said he lost control of the twin-turbine helicopter when it was “hit by a sudden gale amid thick clouds.” The S-76 was owned by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Maritime Engineering. Two Daewoo officials were also killed in the crash.