# Accident 20040306010969A: Bell 206L3, March 6, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 6, 2004, 16:23 local time
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HEEA
- Location: 29.5000° N, 93.4167° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5000&lon=-93.4167&mi=10
- Aircraft: N81SP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N81SP-2005-07-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206L-3 (registry code 1182108, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206l-3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C30 series (registry code 03015, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c30-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L3
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C30P
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,299 total, 206 in this make and model, 112 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW04LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04LA088) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040306010969A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HEARD A LOUD BANG AND FELT A SHUDDER IN THE AIRFRAME SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION WITH THE INTENT OF LANDING ON THE WATER. THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO DEPLOY THE EMERGENCY FLOATS BEFORE CONTACTING THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER AND BECAME SUBMERGED UPSIDE DOWN. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE COMPRESSOR HAD SUSTAINED MINOR FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE (FOD). IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED WHETHER THE FOD OCCURRED BEFORE THE ACCIDENT OR DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE. THE SOURCE OF THE LOUD BANG AND SHUDDER IS SUSPECTED TO BE A COMPRESSOR STALL. IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE EMERGENCY FLOAT SYSTEM INFLATION MECHANISM WAS NOT RIGGED PROPERLY.

## 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 FTW04LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04LA088), Mar 6, 2004: Bell 206L-3 (N81SP), W. Cameron 149, substantial damage. Probable cause: A partial loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the emergency floats not being deployed.

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.