# Incident 20010505013369I: Bell 407, Venice, LA, May 5, 2001

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 5, 2001
- Place: Venice, LA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HEEA
- Location: 29.2931° N, 89.3689° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Venice, LA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2931&lon=-89.3689&mi=10
- Aircraft: N740PH (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 407
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010505013369I

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED A SEVERE VIBRATION IN-FLIGHT WHILE FLYING OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE PILOT LANDED THE HELICOPTER ON THE NEAREST OFFSHORE PLATFORM WITHOUT INCIDENT.  SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT/OIL COOLER BEARING FAILED.  PRIOR TO ITS FAILURE, THE BEARING HAD ACCUMULATED 223 HOURS TOTAL TIME, 33 HOURS SINCE LAST INSPECTION, 11 HOURS SINCE THE LAST LUBRICATION, AND 2 HOURS SINCE A VIBRATION CHECK.  THE OPERATOR OF THE AIRCRAFT SENT THE BEARING TO BELL HELICOPTER, FORT WORTH, TEXAS, FOR FURTHER EVALUATION.

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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