# Accident 19960210045999A: Bolkms BO105S, Gulf Of Mexico, February 10, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 10, 1996, 09:30 local time
- Place: Gulf Of Mexico
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Unknown/Not Reported
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ERAA
- Aircraft: N126EH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N126EH-1999-01-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm BO-105S (registry code 5626006, https://openairdocs.org/model/messerschmitt-boelkow-blohm-bo-105s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOLKMS BO105S
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 11,288 total, 5,731 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW96FA136](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96FA136) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960210045999A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED FROM AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM AT MAIN PASS (MP) 265, IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, EN ROUTE TO ANOTHER PLATFORM AT MOBILE BAY (MB) 990, 44 MILES TO THE NORTHWEST. THE HELICOPTER FAILED TO ARRIVE AT ITS PLANNED DESTINATION AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED MISSING AT 0930. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED THAT CONTINUED FOR 6 DAYS WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND 18 DAYS LATER WHEN A SHRIMP BOAT ENTANGLED THE WRECKAGE IN ITS SHRIMP NET, SIX MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE DESTINATION. WEATHER AT THE DEPARTURE POINT WAS REPORTED BY AN OBSERVER TO BE CLEAR WITH FOG 3 TO 4 MILES WEST OF THE PLATFORM. WEATHER AT THE DESTINATION WAS REPORTED TO BE INTERMITTENTLY OBSCURED BY FOG. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED AND SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING PROBLEMS. BOTH ENGINES WERE EXAMINED BY NTSB AT THE MANUFACTURER'S FACILITY. NO PREMISHAP DISCREPANCIES WERE OBSERVED. DEFORMATION SIGNATURES THROUGHOUT THE STRUCTURE AND DYNAMIC COMPONENTS OF THE HELICOPTER SHOWED EVIDENCE THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER WITH A HIGH RATE OF AIRSPEED, NEAR LEVEL PITCH ATTITUDE, AND SLIGHTLY RIGHT SKID DOWN.               (-23) ON FEBRUARY 10, 1996, AT APPROXIMATELY 0700 CST, AN MBB BO-105S AIRCR AFT, N126EH, DEPARTED FROM AN OFFSHORE OIL PLATFORM AT MAIN PASS 265, IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, ENROUTE TO ANOTHER PLATFORM AT MOBILE BAY 990. THE HELICOPTER FAILED TO ARRIVE AT ITS PLANNED DESTINATION AND WAS REPORTED MISSING AT 0930 CST. ON FEBRUARY 29, 1996, THE HELICOPTER WAS LOCATED BY A SHRIMP BOAT, SIX MILES SOUTHEAST OF MOBILE BAY 990. THE PILOT WAS STILL IN THE HELICOPTER. THE PASSENGER WAS FOUND A FEW DAYS LATER BY ANOTHER BOAT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE GULF COAST DIVISION OF ERA AVIATION, INC., OF ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 135, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE INSTRUMENT-RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES AND THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED.

## 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 FTW96FA136](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96FA136), Feb 10, 1996: Mbb BO-105 (N126EH), Gulf Of Mexico, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the ocean for unknown reasons.

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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