# Accident 19871221070929A: Snias SA330J, Eugene Island, TX, December 21, 1987

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 21, 1987, 11:00 local time
- Place: Eugene Island, TX
- Airport: Eugene Island
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HEEA
- Aircraft: N3596N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3596N-1991-03-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: S N I A S SA330J (registry code 8680612, https://openairdocs.org/model/s-n-i-a-s-sa330j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS SA330J
- Reported engine: TMECA TURMO4A
- People aboard: 15
- Fatal injuries: 15
- Pilot flight hours: 11,993 total, 319 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW88FA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW88FA039) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19871221070929A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

MAIN ROTORS STRUCK LEG OF DRILLING RIG WHILE HOVERING TO LAND.SEVERE CROSSWIND,LOW VISIBILITY. CRASHED AND BURNED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW88FA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW88FA039), Dec 21, 1987: Aerospatiale SA-330J (N3596N), Eugene Island, destroyed, 15 fatal

## Other reports on N3596N (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19800826057559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800826057559A), Aug 26, 1980: Snias SA330J (N3596N), North Kingstown, RI, Substantial damage. Wires shorted out. Melted hydraulic line, caused fire in cabin area. Landed safely.
- [Incident 19800820066309I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800820066309I), Aug 20, 1980: Snias SA330J (N3596N), Islip, NY. Landed Islip Macarthur Airport with increasing vibration. Pitch change horn bearing showed evidence of lube loss

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.