What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The pilot was maneuvering the helicopter to land on an offshore platform. He initially approached the platform from the north, heading into the wind, which was from the south-southeast at 20-25 knots. The pilot began a right turn to circle clockwise around the platform at 300 to 400 feet AGL and 70 to 80 mph indicated airspeed. Approximately 3/4 of the way around the platform, the helicopter 'began to spin' to the right. The pilot applied left pedal in an attempt to stop the spin, however, there was 'no tail rotor response.' The pilot 'made an effort to try to come out of [the spin] by lowering the collective and dropping the nose of the aircraft.' Control inputs had no effect on stopping the spin, and the helicopter descended and impacted the water. There were no reported anomalies to the tail rotor system prior to the accident. In February 1995, the FAA issued an advisory circular (ac 90-95) concerning unanticipated right yaw in helicopters, or loss of tail rotor effectiveness (lte). The ac advises pilots lte may occur in right turns at low airspeeds, and that correct, timely response is critical to prevent a loss of control. (.19)on March 20, 2000, at 1524 CST, a Bell B206 helicopter, N5002E, impatched gulf of Mexico waters while maneuvering near brazos 542 offshore platform. The helicopter was owned and operated by horizon helicopters, inc., at angleton, Texas, under 14 code of federal regulations part 135. The commerical pilot and his two passengers received minor injuries, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions, with winds from the south at 30 knots, prevailed for the on-demand air taxi flight which originated from the brazos 341 offshore platform. The operator's chief pilot reported that the pilot of the helicopter flew around the platform for a weather determination in refernence to the landing. Maximum wind under the company operation procuedures for startup, takeoff, and landings is 30 knots. When the pilot turned the helicopter downwind, tailrotor control was lost, and the helicopter strcuk the water. The pilot and passengers were rescued by personnel at the offshore platform. (-23)on March 20, 2000, at approximately 1530 CST, a Bell helicopter, N5002E, model 206-B, impacted the water near offshore platform, brazos 542, gulf of Mexico. The helicopter owned by gm leasing co. LLC was being operated by horizon helicopters, inc. under 14 CFR code of federal aviation regulations part 135. The commercial pilot ahd his two passengers received minor injuries and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions with winds from the south at approximately 30 knots prevailed at the time of accident. The flight originated from the brazos 341 off shore platform, gulf of Mexico.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING THE HELICOPTER TO LAND ON AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM. HE INITIALLY APPROACHED THE PLATFORM FROM THE NORTH, HEADING INTO THE WIND, WHICH WAS FROM THE SOUTH-SOUTHEAST AT 20-25 KNOTS. THE PILOT BEGAN A RIGHT TURN TO CIRCLE CLOCKWISE AROUND THE PLATFORM AT 300 TO 400 FEET AGL AND 70 TO 80 MPH INDICATED AIRSPEED. APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF THE WAY AROUND THE PLATFORM, THE HELICOPTER 'BEGAN TO SPIN' TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT APPLIED LEFT PEDAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE SPIN, HOWEVER, THERE WAS 'NO TAIL ROTOR RESPONSE.' THE PILOT 'MADE AN EFFORT TO TRY TO COME OUT OF [THE SPIN] BY LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE AND DROPPING THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT.' CONTROL INPUTS HAD NO EFFECT ON STOPPING THE SPIN, AND THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE WATER. THERE WERE NO REPORTED ANOMALIES TO THE TAIL ROTOR SYSTEM PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. IN FEBRUARY 1995, THE FAA ISSUED AN ADVISORY CIRCULAR (AC 90-95) CONCERNING UNANTICIPATED RIGHT YAW IN HELICOPTERS, OR LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS (LTE). THE AC ADVISES PILOTS LTE MAY OCCUR IN RIGHT TURNS AT LOW AIRSPEEDS, AND THAT CORRECT, TIMELY RESPONSE IS CRITICAL TO PREVENT A LOSS OF CONTROL. (.19)ON MARCH 20, 2000, AT 1524 CST, A BELL B206 HELICOPTER, N5002E, IMPATCHED GULF OF MEXICO WATERS WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR BRAZOS 542 OFFSHORE PLATFORM. THE HELICOPTER WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY HORIZON HELICOPTERS, INC., AT ANGLETON, TEXAS, UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 135. THE COMMERICAL PILOT AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, WITH WINDS FROM THE SOUTH AT 30 KNOTS, PREVAILED FOR THE ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED FROM THE BRAZOS 341 OFFSHORE PLATFORM. THE OPERATOR'S CHIEF PILOT REPORTED THAT THE PILOT OF THE HELICOPTER FLEW AROUND THE PLATFORM FOR A WEATHER DETERMINATION IN REFERNENCE TO THE LANDING. MAXIMUM WIND UNDER THE COMPANY OPERATION PROCUEDURES FOR STARTUP, TAKEOFF, AND LANDINGS IS 30 KNOTS. WHEN THE PILOT TURNED THE HELICOPTER DOWNWIND, TAILROTOR CONTROL WAS LOST, AND THE HELICOPTER STRCUK THE WATER. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE RESCUED BY PERSONNEL AT THE OFFSHORE PLATFORM. (-23)ON MARCH 20, 2000, AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 CST, A BELL HELICOPTER, N5002E, MODEL 206-B, IMPACTED THE WATER NEAR OFFSHORE PLATFORM, BRAZOS 542, GULF OF MEXICO. THE HELICOPTER OWNED BY GM LEASING CO. LLC WAS BEING OPERATED BY HORIZON HELICOPTERS, INC. UNDER 14 CFR CODE OF FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS PART 135. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AHD HIS TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH WINDS FROM THE SOUTH AT APPROXIMATELY 30 KNOTS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE BRAZOS 341 OFF SHORE PLATFORM, GULF OF MEXICO.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N5002E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.