# Incident 19951030041959I: Bell 214ST, Gulf Of Mexico, LA, October 30, 1995

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 30, 1995, 06:50 local time
- Place: Gulf Of Mexico, LA
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ALGA
- Aircraft: N390AL, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N390AL) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 214ST (registry code 1182106, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-214st) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: GE CT7 series (registry code 30030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-ct7-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 214ST
- People aboard: 19
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 15,168 total, 2,795 in this make and model, 207 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951030041959I

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE: WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO WITH AN INDICATED AIRSPEED OF 130 KNOTS, THE FLIGHT CREW STATED THAT THEY BEGAN TO HEAR A "WHOOSHING" NOISE FOLLOWED BY A SEVERE VIBRATION. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE VIBRATION INCREASED TO A LEVEL THAT THE CYCLIC STICK WAS STRIKING HIS LEFT AND RIGHT LEGS WITH EACH REVOLUTION OF THE MAIN ROTOR. THE FLIGHT CREW BEGAN A DESCENT AND APPROACH TO THE NEAREST OFFSHORE PLATFORM; BUT DUE TO THE SMALL SIZE OF THE PLATFORM AND THE ERRATIC CONTROL RESPONSE OF THE AIRCRAFT, THEY ELECTED TO ABORT THE APPROACH AND HOVER TO A LARGER PLATFORM WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES AWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT, IMMEDIATELY AFTER LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO LURCH ON THE HELIPORT. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 - BUT PAGE 2 IS NOT INCLUDED.)

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.

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