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20060219001399A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Bell 222B · Galveston, TX · February 19, 2006

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 19, 2006 · 02:00 local
Place
Galveston, TX
Phase of flight
Final Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
C9PA
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N306CH
NTSB investigation
NTSBDFW06LA072
Reported as
Bell 222B
Reported engine
Lycoming LTS101*
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
11,000 total180 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days
N306CHRegistration cancelled Apr 9, 2007 · Bell 222BS/N 47131 · Built 1982Airframe modelBell 222BEngine modelLycoming LTS-101 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) Helicopter N306CH a Bell 222-B departed houston hobby airport at 0100 local, VFR, enroute to an oil tanker moored in the sabine lightering area approximately 85 miles se of Galveston, Texas. Pilot received a weather briefing from flight service prior to departure. Ceiling 800' variable to 1200' with 10 miles visibility. Pilot contacted company flight following and gave position report and ETA to tanker at 0119. Next radio contact was at 0133 and pilot gave position report of 2902/9424 and ETA to the tanker of 25 mins. Pilot stated that he was at 700' altitude with the autopilot engaged, and approximately 10 miles out from the tanker that he could see a haze and a slight drizzle. Pilot contacted vessel, and gave ETA of 5 mins. Pilot decreased speed below 100 dts to lower landing gear, disconnected the autopilot and set up a descent of 200' to 300'. While setting the parking brake and engaging the sas system, pilot felt a resistance to the aircraft, pilot looked up as aircraft contacted the water nose first. Aircraft flipped over and began to sink. Both pilots exited the aircraft. Aircraft sunk approximately 15 to 20 seconds later. Tanker contacted U.S. Coast guard and commenced a search of their own.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) HELICOPTER N306CH A BELL 222-B DEPARTED HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT AT 0100 LOCAL, VFR, ENROUTE TO AN OIL TANKER MOORED IN THE SABINE LIGHTERING AREA APPROXIMATELY 85 MILES SE OF GALVESTON, TEXAS. PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM FLIGHT SERVICE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. CEILING 800' VARIABLE TO 1200' WITH 10 MILES VISIBILITY. PILOT CONTACTED COMPANY FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND GAVE POSITION REPORT AND ETA TO TANKER AT 0119. NEXT RADIO CONTACT WAS AT 0133 AND PILOT GAVE POSITION REPORT OF 2902/9424 AND ETA TO THE TANKER OF 25 MINS. PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AT 700' ALTITUDE WITH THE AUTOPILOT ENGAGED, AND APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES OUT FROM THE TANKER THAT HE COULD SEE A HAZE AND A SLIGHT DRIZZLE. PILOT CONTACTED VESSEL, AND GAVE ETA OF 5 MINS. PILOT DECREASED SPEED BELOW 100 DTS TO LOWER LANDING GEAR, DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPILOT AND SET UP A DESCENT OF 200' TO 300'. WHILE SETTING THE PARKING BRAKE AND ENGAGING THE SAS SYSTEM, PILOT FELT A RESISTANCE TO THE AIRCRAFT, PILOT LOOKED UP AS AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE WATER NOSE FIRST. AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER AND BEGAN TO SINK. BOTH PILOTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT SUNK APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 20 SECONDS LATER. TANKER CONTACTED U.S. COAST GUARD AND COMMENCED A SEARCH OF THEIR OWN.

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 DFW06LA072Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGulf of Mexico (Gulf of Mexico)The flight crew's failure to maintain control of the helicopter, and the crew's diverted attention to secondary tasks while preparing for the night landing. A contributing factor was the dark night conditions.Feb 19, 2006 · Destroyed