# Accident 20030707021389A: Snias AS350B, July 7, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 7, 2003, 18:09 local time
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: TXEA
- Location: 28.9167° N, 91.3000° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.9167&lon=-91.3000&mi=10
- Aircraft: N147BH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N147BH-2013-05-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale AS350B (registry code 8680800, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as350b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 8,985 total, 1,505 in this make and model, 251 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW03LA178](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA178) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030707021389A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AFTER TERMINATING IN A HOVER CONFIGURATION OVER THE PLATFORM THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THIS INITIAL LOUD NOISE WAS FOLLOWED BY AN UNCONTROLLED SPIN TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT THEN REGAINED CONTROL OF THE ROTORCRAFT AT APROXIMATELY 4 TO 5 FEET ABOVE THE PLATFORM AND LANDED THE HELICOPTER ON THE PLATFORM. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE PLATFORM CATWALK, PARTIAL SEPARATION OF THE HELICOPTER TAILBOOM APPROXIMATELY 18 INCHES FORWARD OF THE TAIL ROTOR HUB AND SEPARATION OF A TAIL ROTOR BLADE. THE DAMAGE IS CONSISTENT WITH TAIL ROTOR CONTACT WITH THE CATWALK STRUCTURE. AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR PASSENGERS.

## 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 FTW03LA178](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA178), Jul 7, 2003: Aerospatiale AS350BA (N147BH), Ship Shoal 80, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the safety fence while landing on an off-shore helipad.

## Other reports on N147BH (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20070708021999I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070708021999I), Jul 8, 2007: Snias AS350B (N147BH), Gulf Of Mexico, US, Substantial damage. (-23) After a normal approach and landing, collective was lowered to flat pitch when a severe vertical vibration occurred. Emergency shut down procedures were…
- [Incident 20041106028729I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041106028729I), Nov 6, 2004: Snias AS350B (N147BH), Houston, TX, Minor damage. (-23) During a practice hydraulics off approach to landing, with the trainee at the controls, the aircraft began to turn left just prior to touchdown. 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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.