20031116032479I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Bell 407 · November 16, 2003

Date: November 16, 2003 · 10:33 local
Phase of flight: To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: HEEA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N405PH
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW04IA023
Reported as: Bell 407
Reported engine: Allison 250C47B
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 10,443 total1,189 in this make and model152 in the last 90 days

N405PHRegistration cancelled Jul 27, 2005 · Bell 407S/N 53207 · Built 1997 Airframe modelBell 407 Engine modelAllison 250-C47 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) The aircraft lost power during take-off from an offshore platform. The pilot made an autorotational landing into the water, but was unable to deploy the emergency floats. The aircraft rolled over in the water and the pilot and two passengers exited the aircraft without injury. The occupants were picked up by a fishing vessel shortly after the incident. The investigation revealed that the engine sustained a catastrophic failure of the number three turbine wheel. The turbine section was sent to the manufacturer for further analysis. The pilot stated that he was unable to identify and press the emergency float inflation button before landing in the water. The national transportation safety board also participated in the investigation of this incident.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER DURING TAKE-OFF FROM AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM. THE PILOT MADE AN AUTOROTATIONAL LANDING INTO THE WATER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DEPLOY THE EMERGENCY FLOATS. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER IN THE WATER AND THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY. THE OCCUPANTS WERE PICKED UP BY A FISHING VESSEL SHORTLY AFTER THE INCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE NUMBER THREE TURBINE WHEEL. THE TURBINE SECTION WAS SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY AND PRESS THE EMERGENCY FLOAT INFLATION BUTTON BEFORE LANDING IN THE WATER. THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS INCIDENT.

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 FTW04IA023Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportEugene Is. 27The loss of engine power due to the failure of the 3rd stage turbine wheel and subsequent catastrophic failure of the turbine assembly.Nov 16, 2003 · Minor damage

Other reports on N405PH · 1

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

Incident 20010311007569INormal Cruise · Intracoastal Ci, LA(-23)The pilot heard a loud squeal, felt a vibration in the tail rotor pedals, and then heard a loud bang while in cruise flight. The pilot made an emergency landing to an offshore heliport without causing any damage to the helicopter. The investigation…Mar 11, 2001 · Minor damage