# Accident 19970601046809A: Bell 206L1, Intracoastalcit, LA, June 1, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 1, 1997, 11:25 local time
- Place: Intracoastalcit, LA
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: YHHA
- Location: 29.9702° N, 92.1203° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9702&lon=-92.1203&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2773A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2773A-2000-09-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 (registry code 1182107, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-206l-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L1
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97FA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97FA208) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970601046809A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JUNE 1, 1997, APPROXIMATELY 1125 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A MIDAIR COLLISION OCCURRED BETWEEN N115AL, A BELL 206B HELICOPTER, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY OFFSHORE LOGISTICS, INC., DOING BUSINESS AS AIR LOGISTICS, AND N2773A, A BELL 206L-1 HELICOPTER, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY HOUSTON HELICOPTERS, INC., NEAR INTRACOASTAL CITY, LOUISIANA. BOTH HELICOPTERS WERE DESTROYED. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT OF N115AL SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT OF N2773A WAS FATALLY INJURED. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS INEITHER HELICOPTER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PAFT 91 BUSINESS FLIGHTS AND COMPANY VFR FLIGHT PLANS WERE FILED BY BOTH PILOTS. N115AL DEPARTED THE AIR LOGISTICS HELIPORT AT INTRACOASTAL CITY AND WAS ENROUTE TO GRAND CHENIER, LA. N2773A DEPARTED FROM THE ABBEVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT IN ABBEVILLE, LA AND WAS ENROUTE TO AN OFFSHORE OIL PLATFORM IN EAST CAMERON BLOCK 109. (.4) N115AL, A BELL 206B HELICOPTER, AND N2773A, A BELL 206L-1 HELICOPTER, COLLIDED IN MIDAIR APPROXIMATELY 3 NM WEST OF INTRACOASTAL CITY, LOUISIANA.  N2773A WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT, TRANSITING THROUGH THE INTRACOASTAL CITY TRA                                           FFIC ADVISORY AREA FROM NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST. N115AL DEPARTED INTRACOASTAL CITY WESTBOUND.  RADAR DATA INDICATED THAT THE ANGLE BETWEEN THE FLIGHT PATHS WAS ABOUT 60 DEGREES.  THE PILOT OF N115AL REPORTED THAT HE HAD JUST LEVELED OUT AT 700 FEET AGL WHEN HE SAW N2773A TO HIS RIGHT AT A 'SLIGHTLY' LOWER ALTITUDE AND BANKED HARD LEFT.  A WITNESS AND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES OF N115AL STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR OF N2773A.  N2773A WAS NOT OBSERVED TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION.  SUBSEQUENTLY, N2773A IMPACTED THE GROUND IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, AND N115AL MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A SLOUGH AND SANK.  PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT OF N115AL COMMUNICATED HIS INTENTIONS ON THE LOCAL TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY.  THERE WERE NO RADIO COMMUNICATIONS FROM N2773A ON THE ADVISORY FREQUENCY, AND THE OPERATOR OF N2773A DID NOT INCLUDE THE USE OF TRAFFIC ADVISORY SERVICES AS A COMPANY STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE IN ITS OPERATIONS MANUAL.

## 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 FTW97FA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97FA208), Jun 1, 1997: Bell 206L-1 (N2773A), Intracoastl Cty, LA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of both pilots to see and avoid each other's aircraft. Factors were the failure of the pilot of N2773A to use the available traffic advisory service and the failure of the operator of…

## Other reports on N2773A (1)

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

- [Incident 19890702036799I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890702036799I), Jul 2, 1989: Bell 206L1 (N2773A), Cameron, LA, Minor damage. Internal engine failure on an off shore approach. Entered autorotation and landed in water. Cause undetermined.

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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