20020108002779A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206L-3 · Fourchon, LA · January 8, 2002

Date: January 8, 2002 · 15:52 local
Place: Fourchon, LA
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: ALGA
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N349AL
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW02LA064
Reported as: Bell 206L3

N349ALRegistration cancelled Aug 11, 2004 · Bell 206L-3S/N 51388 · Built 1990 Airframe modelBell 206L-3 Engine modelAllison 250-C30 seriesTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Following an autorotative descent from 1200 feet altitude, the helicopter impacted the waters of the gulf of Mexico in a right, nose low attitude. Right forward emergency flotation device and the forward 41 inches of the landing gear skid separated from the helicopter, which then rolled inverted.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) FOLLOWING AN AUTOROTATIVE DESCENT FROM 1200 FEET ALTITUDE, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE WATERS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO IN A RIGHT, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. RIGHT FORWARD EMERGENCY FLOTATION DEVICE AND THE FORWARD 41 INCHES OF THE LANDING GEAR SKID SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER, WHICH THEN ROLLED INVERTED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW02LA064Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGrand Isle 74The pilot's misjudged landing flare. A contributing factor was the fatigue fracture of the PC air line due to the improper installation by company maintenance personnel, which resulted in a loss of engine power.Jan 8, 2002 · Substantial damage