20070511008249A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Gulf Of Mexico, US · May 11, 2007

Date: May 11, 2007 · 13:15 local
Place: Gulf Of Mexico, US
Phase of flight: To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: YTRA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3RL
NTSB investigation: NTSBDFW07LA109
Reported as: Bell 206B
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,068 total180 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

N3RLRegistration cancelled Oct 27, 2017 · Bell 206BS/N 396 · Built 1969 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelAllison 250-C20 seriesTurbo-prop

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) While taking off from an offshore platform, the pilot stated that once the aircraft was leaving the side of the helideck, the aircraft began sinking and then started spinning to the right. The pilot stated he lowered the collective, popped the floats and then pulled all collective at the bottom to cushion the impact with the water. The aircraft hit the water right tail low, everyone evacuated the aircraft, popped the life raft and paddled back to the platform. No injuries were reported.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE TAKING OFF FROM AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM, THE PILOT STATED THAT ONCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS LEAVING THE SIDE OF THE HELIDECK, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN SINKING AND THEN STARTED SPINNING TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT STATED HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE, POPPED THE FLOATS AND THEN PULLED ALL COLLECTIVE AT THE BOTTOM TO CUSHION THE IMPACT WITH THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE WATER RIGHT TAIL LOW, EVERYONE EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT, POPPED THE LIFE RAFT AND PADDLED BACK TO THE PLATFORM. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.

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 DFW07LA109Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportE. Cameron 219The pilot's failure to establish a climb and maintian directional control of the helicopter while departing the offshore platform.May 11, 2007 · Substantial damage