# Accident 19990601005949A: Bell 206B, Venice, LA, June 1, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 1, 1999, 15:00 local time
- Place: Venice, LA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: AC2A
- Location: 29.2705° N, 89.3501° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2705&lon=-89.3501&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7131U (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99LA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA155) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990601005949A

## Narrative

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

ENGINE FAILURE, PILOT EXECUTED AN AUTO ROTATION HITTING HARD CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT. (FROM .19) ON JUNE 1, 1999, AT 1500 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206B HELICOPTER, N7131U, OWNED AND OPERATED BY CHEVRON USA, INC., OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING, FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR VENICE, LOUISIANA.  THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THE THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A COMPANY VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 135 PIPELINE PATROL FLIGHT.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE WEST DELTA 30 PLATFORM LOCATED IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, THE HELICOPTER WAS AT CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED.  THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO A MARSHY AREA.  THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TAILBOOM SEPARATE FROM THE FUSELAGE AND BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE DAMAGED.                                                                       (-23)ENGINE FAILED IN FLIGHT DUE TO SPLINED ADAPTER AND 2 1/2 BEARING FAILURE.  PARTS WILL UNDERGO METALLURGICAL EVALUATION AT ALLISON TO DETERMINE WH  ICH FAILED FIRST.

## 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 FTW99LA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA155), Jun 1, 1999: Bell 206B (N7131U), Venice, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper touchdown procedure, resulting in a main rotor blade contacting the tailboom. Factors were the soft and wet terrain conditions, and the loss of engine power due to the spiral…

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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