What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On January 9, 2003, approximately 1500 central standard time, an aerospatiale AS-350-BA single-engine helicopter, N22TV, was destroyed when it impacted the water following a loss control during a descent near Venice, Louisiana. The instrument rated commercial pilot and three passengers sustained minor injuries, and one passenger was not injured. The helicopter was registered to and operated by tex-air helicopters inc., houston, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the title 14 code of federal regulations part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. The flight departed the main pass 61A offshore platform at 1440, and was destined for Venice. According to the operator, the pilot reported that during an initial descent to Venice at 800 feet AGL., he felt a "sudden hard shedder and noise from the aircraft." One of the passengers reported that he observed the right baggage door was open and flapping. The helicopter entered a severe yaw to the left, and the pilot then realized he had no response from his inputs to the tail rotor pedals. After attempting to gain altitude by increasing power, the helicopter started to spin to the left. The pilot inititated an autorotation, and the helicopter impacted the water and came to rest upright. The pilot and passengers exited the helicopter and were rescued by a fishing vessel. (-23) on January 9, 2003, approximately 1500 central standard time, an aerospatiale AS-350-BA single-engine helicopter, N22TV, was destroyed when it impacted the water following a loss of control during a descent near Venice, Louisiana. The instrument rated commercial pilot and three passengers sustained minor injuries, and one passenger was not injured. The helicopter was registered to and operated by tex-air helicopters inc., houston, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the title 14 code of federal regulations part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. The flight departed the main pass 61A offshore platform at 1440, and was destined for Venice. According to the operator, the pilot reported that during an initial descent to Venice at 800 feet AGL., he felt a "sudden hard shedder and noise from the aircraft." One of the passengers reported that he observed the right baggage door was open and flapping. The helicopter entered a severe yaw to the left, and the pilot then realized he had no response from his inputs to the tail rotor pedals. After attempting to gain altitude by increasing power, the helicopter started to spin to the left. The pilot initiated an autorotation, and the helicopter impacted the water and came to rest upright. The pilot and passengers exited the helicopter and were rescued by a fishing vessel.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JANUARY 9, 2003, APPROXIMATELY 1500 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, AN AEROSPATIALE AS-350-BA SINGLE-ENGINE HELICOPTER, N22TV, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE WATER FOLLOWING A LOSS CONTROL DURING A DESCENT NEAR VENICE, LOUISIANA. THE INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND ONE PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY TEX-AIR HELICOPTERS INC., HOUSTON, TEXAS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A COMPANY VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 135 ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THE MAIN PASS 61A OFFSHORE PLATFORM AT 1440, AND WAS DESTINED FOR VENICE. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING AN INITIAL DESCENT TO VENICE AT 800 FEET AGL., HE FELT A "SUDDEN HARD SHEDDER AND NOISE FROM THE AIRCRAFT." ONE OF THE PASSENGERS REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED THE RIGHT BAGGAGE DOOR WAS OPEN AND FLAPPING. THE HELICOPTER ENTERED A SEVERE YAW TO THE LEFT, AND THE PILOT THEN REALIZED HE HAD NO RESPONSE FROM HIS INPUTS TO THE TAIL ROTOR PEDALS. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO GAIN ALTITUDE BY INCREASING POWER, THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO SPIN TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT INITITATED AN AUTOROTATION, AND THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE WATER AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS EXITED THE HELICOPTER AND WERE RESCUED BY A FISHING VESSEL. (-23) ON JANUARY 9, 2003, APPROXIMATELY 1500 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, AN AEROSPATIALE AS-350-BA SINGLE-ENGINE HELICOPTER, N22TV, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE WATER FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING A DESCENT NEAR VENICE, LOUISIANA. THE INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND ONE PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY TEX-AIR HELICOPTERS INC., HOUSTON, TEXAS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A COMPANY VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 135 ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THE MAIN PASS 61A OFFSHORE PLATFORM AT 1440, AND WAS DESTINED FOR VENICE. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING AN INITIAL DESCENT TO VENICE AT 800 FEET AGL., HE FELT A "SUDDEN HARD SHEDDER AND NOISE FROM THE AIRCRAFT." ONE OF THE PASSENGERS REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED THE RIGHT BAGGAGE DOOR WAS OPEN AND FLAPPING. THE HELICOPTER ENTERED A SEVERE YAW TO THE LEFT, AND THE PILOT THEN REALIZED HE HAD NO RESPONSE FROM HIS INPUTS TO THE TAIL ROTOR PEDALS. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO GAIN ALTITUDE BY INCREASING POWER, THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO SPIN TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION, AND THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE WATER AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS EXITED THE HELICOPTER AND WERE RESCUED BY A FISHING VESSEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.