SUNSHINE HELICOPTERS, INC.
Also recorded as: SUNSHINE HELICOPTERS, INC., Sunshine Helicopters, Sunshine Helicopters, Inc.
Accident & enforcement record
Events that happened, regardless of the operator's own reporting. Each links to its public source.
NTSB accidents & incidents
Operated by Sunshine Helicopters, Inc (per NTSB report)
Operated by Sunshine Helicopters (per NTSB report)
Operated by SUNSHINE HELICOPTERS INC (per NTSB report)
Operated by SUNSHINE HELICOPTERS INC (per NTSB report)
FAA enforcement actions
FAA enforcement records haven't been loaded into GroundCheck yet, so none can be shown — a gap in our data, not evidence of a clean enforcement history.
Maintenance disclosure history
Service Difficulty Reports are self-reported maintenance findings. The NUMBER of reports is not a measure of reliability — diligent operators file more, not fewer. These are shown for transparency, not as a negative signal.
7 reports on file.
POWERED UP AND BOX STARTED TO SMOKE.
ON A TOUR FLIGHT, THE PILOT LOST GENERATOR OUTPUT. TURNED AROUND AND MADE A SAFE LANDING AT THE AIRPORT. THE GENERATOR WIRES WERE RUBBING ON THE CARBON FIBER ENGINE COWLING AND SHORTED TO AIRFRAME GROUND. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STC SH3324NM CONVERSION KIT FOR ENGINE. THERE IS NO MEANS TO CLAMP OR SECURE THE WIRE HARNESS AWAY FROM THE COWLING. THE STC HOLDER SHOULD MODIFY THE STC WITH A METHOD OF CLAMPING THE WIRE HARNESS AWAY FROM THE COWLING. (K)
ON A TOUR FLIGHT THE PILOT LOST GENERATOR OUTPUT. HE TURNED AROUND AND MADE A SAFE LANDING AT THE AIRPORT. THE GENERATOR WIRES WERE RUBBING ON THE CARBON FIBER ENGINE COWLING AND SHORTED TO AIRFRAME GROUND. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STC SH3324NM CONVERSION KIT TO ENGINE. THERE IS NO MEANS TO CLAMP OR SECURE THE WIRE HARNESS AWAY FROM THE COWLING. THE STC HOLDER SHOULD MODIFY THE STC WITH A METHOD OF CLAMPING THE WIRE HARNESS AWAY FROM THE COWLING.
PILOT REPORTED ON TAKEOFF, HE INCREASED THE COLLECTIVE TO GET THE HELICOPTER LIGHT ON THE SKIDS PAUSING FOR A FEW SECONDS SO THE ROTOR RPM STABILIZED THEN CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF. JUST ABOUT 3 FT OFF THE GROUND, MOVING FORWARD INTO FLIGHT THE LOW RPM AUDIO SOUNDED AT THAT TIME THE HELICOPTER WAS OFF THE CONCRETE PAD OVER ROUGH TERRAIN GOING DOWN SLOPE WITH THE AUDIO STILL SOUNDING. THE PILOT QUICKLY CHECKED THE THROTTLE TO CONFIRM THAT IT WAS IN THE GATE, AUDIO STILL SOUNDING, ROTOR RPM BELOW 350. RETURNED TO HELIPAD. REPLACED FUEL CONTROL. AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO SERVICE WITH NO FURTHER DIFFICULTIES. (K)
PILOT REPORTED LOSS OF HYDRAULICS SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. INSPECTION FOUND THAT HYDRAULIC PUMP HAD FAILED INTERNALLY. PUMP WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED. AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.
PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING DUE TO ILLUMINATION OF THE MGB PRESSURE LIGHT, INSPECTION REVEALED THE MGB OIL COOLER LINE HAD BURST AT THE JOINT BETWEEN THE HOSE AND THE METAL CRIMPEND END. THE HOSE WAS REPLACED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.
INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT REAR FRAME IAW ALERT SB 05.00.43 PARA. 2.B.1.A REVEALED JUNCTION FRAME TO BE CRACKED BEYOND LIMIT OF REPAIR OUTLINED IN THE MM. REMOVED UNSERVICABLE JUNCTION FRAME AND INSTALLED A SERVICABLE FRAME P/N 350A21-1247-0051 IAW MFG REPAIR SCHEME AND 8110-3.
Linked aircraft
| N-number | Make / model | Year | Status | Link basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N130WS | EUROCOPTER EC 130 B4 | 2003 | Valid Registration | Operator named in NTSB report |
| N130WS | EUROCOPTER EC 130 B4 | 2003 | Valid Registration | Matched by certificate designator |
| N131WS | EUROCOPTER EC 130 B4 | — | Valid Registration | Matched by certificate designator |
| N132WS | EUROCOPTER EC 130 B4 | 2002 | Valid Registration | Matched by certificate designator |
| N140WS | EUROCOPTER EC 130 B4 | 2003 | Valid Registration | Matched by certificate designator |
| N288WS | AEROSPATIALE AS350BA | 1988 | Valid Registration | Matched by certificate designator |
| N4075S | EUROCOPTER AS 350 BA | 1997 | Valid Registration | Matched by certificate designator |
| N6094H | EUROCOPTER AS 350 BA | 1993 | Valid Registration | Operator named in NTSB report |
| N6094H | EUROCOPTER AS 350 BA | 1993 | Valid Registration | Matched by certificate designator |
| N6094S | AEROSPATIALE AS350BA | 1993 | 19 | Matched by certificate designator |
| N752CH | EUROCOPTER FRANCE AS350B2 | 1986 | Valid Registration | Operator named in NTSB report |
| N801MH | EUROCOPTER EC 130 B4 | 2002 | Valid Registration | Matched by certificate designator |
| N802MH | EUROCOPTER EC 130 B4 | 2003 | Valid Registration | Matched by certificate designator |
| N87EW | — | — | Operator named in NTSB report |