# Accident 19960621014789A: Bolkms BO105S, Sabine Pass, TX, June 21, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 21, 1996, 07:50 local time
- Place: Sabine Pass, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ALGA
- Location: 29.9595° N, 93.8895° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9595&lon=-93.8895&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2906T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2906T-1998-12-16) (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: 4
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Pilot flight hours: 20,459 total, 664 in this make and model, 296 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW96FA265](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96FA265) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960621014789A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE TWIN ENGINE HELICOPTER WAS EN ROUTE TO AN OIL PLATFORM LOCATED 90 MILES SOUTH OF SABINE PASS, TEXAS, IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE PILOT CALLED COMPANY DISPATCH AND REPORTED OFF SABINE AT 0711 WITH 2.5 HOURS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE COMPANY'S FLIGHT FOLLOWING RADIO LOG SHOWS THAT THE PILOT MADE A NORMAL POSITION REPORT AT 0729 AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS 67 MILES FROM DESTINATION. THE PILOT TRANSMITTED ANOTHER NORMAL POSITION REPORT AT 0744 AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS 38 MILES FROM DESTINATION. NO OTHER RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. ACCORDING TO THE CHIEF PILOT, THE ALTITUDE AT WHICH THE HELICOPTER WOULD HAVE BEEN CRUISING AT WOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE BEEN BETWEEN 500 AND 1,000 FEET AGL. NO ABNORMALITIES WERE DISCOVERED WITH THE ENGINES DURING DETAILED EXAMINATIONS. TEAR DOWN OF THE MAIN TRANSMISSION REVEALED THAT THE SUN GEAR HAD FAILED, THUS RESULTING IN THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM NOT BEING DRIVEN. STRUCTURAL DEFORMATIONS OF THE AIRFRAME REVEALED THAT THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE WATER VERTICALLY IN A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT.(-23) ON JUNE 21, 1996, THE HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO WHILE TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS TO AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT RECOVERED UNTIL JUNE 29, 1996, NINE DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE ILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS ONBOARD SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE SUN GEAR IN THE MAIN TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING DISENGAGEMENT WITH THE ROTOR SYSTEM. THE FIELD INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL THE CAUSE FOR THE SUN GEAR FAILURE. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE SUN GEAR IS ONGOING AT THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD LABORATORY.

## 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 FTW96FA265](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96FA265), Jun 21, 1996: Mbb BO-105 (N2906T), Sabine Pass, TX, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the sun gear within the main transmission resulting in the main rotor system not being driven.

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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