# Accident 20030222001949A: Bell 407, Gulf Of Mexico, February 22, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 22, 2003, 09:45 local time
- Place: Gulf Of Mexico
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HEEL
- Location: 28.3500° N, 93.9667° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.3500&lon=-93.9667&mi=10
- Aircraft: N740PH (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 407
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 5,061 total, 14 in this make and model, 46 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW03LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA101) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030222001949A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON FEBRUARY 22, 2003, APPROXIMATELY 0945 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BELL 407 SINGLE-ENGINE HELICOPTER, N740PH, WAS NOT DAMAGED WHEN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED A PASSENGER DURING HOT REFUELING OPERATION ON OFFSHORE PLATFORM HIGH ISLAND 443 (HI 443), IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED, AND ANOTHER PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY PETROLEUM HELICOPTERS INC., LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 135 NON-SCHEDULED ON DEMAND DOMESTIC AIR TAXI FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT HAD LANDED AT THE PLATFORM FOR AN INTERMEDIATE FUEL STOP WITH A DESTINATION OF OFFSHORE PLATFORM WEST CAMERON 407 (WC 407), IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE PILOT, IN AN INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR, REPORTED THAT HE LANDED THE HELICOPTER ON HI 443 TO REFUEL PRIOR TO PROCEEDING TO WC 407. AFTER THE HELICOPTER LANDED, THE PILOT ASKED IF THE PASSENGERS IF THEY WERE TRAINED TO REFUEL THE HELICOPTER WITH THE ENGINE AND ROTORS OPERATING. THE PASSENGERS REPORTED THAT THEY HAD COMPLETED THAT TYPE OF OPERATION BEFORE. DURING THE REFUELING OPERATION, A WIND GUST STARTED TO PUSH THE HELICOPTER ON THE PLATFORM. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO SHUTDOWN THE HELICOPTER ENGINE AND APPLIED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE BRAKE. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO SLIDE AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 1 FOOT FROM THE EDGE OF THE PLATFORM. AFTER THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST, THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED A PASSENGER. (-23) DURING HOT REFUELING WITH PASSENGERS ASSISTING AND THE PILOT AT THE CONTROLS ON OFF-SHORE PLATFORM, HELICOPTER SLID TOWARD EDGE OF PLATFORM BECAUSE OF GUSTY WINDS AND TOWARD PASSENGER. PASSENGER JUMPED OUT OF FUELING BAY WHERE HE WAS PREPARING TO COMMENCE FUELING AND PASSED IN FRONT OF HELICOPTER. ROTOR BLADE STRUCK PASSENGER IN HEAD CAUSING FATAL INJURY.

## 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 FTW03LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA101), Feb 22, 2003: Bell 407 (N740PH), High Island 443, minor damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter during the hot refueling operation which resulted in the main rotor blades striking the passenger. A contributing factor was the…

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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