OpenAirDocs.org

20031201033579A

Accident · Destroyed
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Bell 407 · Galveston, TX · December 1, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
December 1, 2003 · 08:20 local
Place
Galveston, TX
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
HEEA
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N457PH
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW04FA029
Reported as
Bell 407
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
14,190 total844 in this make and model173 in the last 90 days
N457PHRegistered now · Bell 407S/N 53121 · Built 1997Airframe modelBell 407Engine modelAllison 250 SER 250HPTurbo-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) At approximately 08:15 the pilot departed gulf platform high island 573 in route for high island 264. Approximately 3 to 4 minutes later the dispatcher at petroleum helicopters, inc (phi) base received a may day distress call. There were no further communications. The pilot received fatal injuries. The aircraft was recovered in the area of high island 560 in approximately 240' of water. Post examination of the aircraft, engine and associated components showed an uncontained failure of the #3 engine turbine disk. Post examination also revealed that there was very little if no inertia left in the main rotor system when the aircraft impacted the water. Continuity was established to all of the flight controls. The main landing gear floats were never activated. The transmission, sevos, free wheeling unit and tail rotor drive system were all inspected and found to be intact or operational in accordance with the manufacturers requirements. The operator will file an mmir report and forward it to their certificate management office in accordance with their general maintenance manual.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 08:15 THE PILOT DEPARTED GULF PLATFORM HIGH ISLAND 573 IN ROUTE FOR HIGH ISLAND 264. APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 MINUTES LATER THE DISPATCHER AT PETROLEUM HELICOPTERS, INC (PHI) BASE RECEIVED A MAY DAY DISTRESS CALL. THERE WERE NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS. THE PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED IN THE AREA OF HIGH ISLAND 560 IN APPROXIMATELY 240' OF WATER. POST EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT, ENGINE AND ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS SHOWED AN UNCONTAINED FAILURE OF THE #3 ENGINE TURBINE DISK. POST EXAMINATION ALSO REVEALED THAT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE IF NO INERTIA LEFT IN THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM WHEN THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER. CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO ALL OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR FLOATS WERE NEVER ACTIVATED. THE TRANSMISSION, SEVOS, FREE WHEELING UNIT AND TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SYSTEM WERE ALL INSPECTED AND FOUND TO BE INTACT OR OPERATIONAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURERS REQUIREMENTS. THE OPERATOR WILL FILE AN MMIR REPORT AND FORWARD IT TO THEIR CERTIFICATE MANAGEMENT OFFICE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR GENERAL MAINTENANCE MANUAL.

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 FTW04FA029Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportHigh Island 573The loss of engine power due to the failure of the 3rd stage turbine wheel and subsequent catastrophic failure of the turbine assembly.Dec 1, 2003 · Destroyed

Other reports on N457PH · 1

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

Accident 20170502005009ACruise/Level Flight · Boothville, LAA Bell 407 helicopter was enroute to an offshore location . At approximately three (3) minutes after takeoff on the first flight of the day, the pilot heard a "pop" which was followed by a vibration he diagnosed as emanating from the tail section of the…May 2, 2017 · Substantial damage