# Accident 20070813018509A: Bell 206L3, Gulf Of Mexico, US, August 13, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 13, 2007, 14:00 local time
- Place: Gulf Of Mexico, US
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: EGIA
- Aircraft: N85TC (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L3
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C30
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 13,245 total, 2,475 in this make and model, 95 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070813018509A

## Narrative

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

(-23) WHILE ENROUTE TO AN OFFSHORE OIL PLATFORM, N85TC, A BELL HELICOPTER 206L-3 OPERATED BY EVERGREEN HELICOPTERS, IN GALVESTON, TEXAS. THE PILOT DID NOT REFOLD AND SAT IN THE BACKSEAT A LARGE (3'X4') SUNSHADE. HE COMPLETED THE FIRST LEG OF THE TRIP WITHOUT INCIDENT AND WAS RETURNING TO THE PLATFORM. ABOUT TWO MINUTES PRIOR TO LANDING HE HEARD A SUDDEN NOISE ACCOMPANIED BY A PRONOUNCED ROUGHNESS IN THE TAIL ROTOR SYSTEM. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE ROUGHNESS DECREASED SOMEWHAT AND HE WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE TAIL ROTOR WAS STILL FUNCTIONING AND THAT THE PEDALS WERE QUITE STIFF BUT ALSO STILL FUNCTIONAL. THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM IN THE SHIP SHOAL AREA. UPON LANDING IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE 3'X4' FLEXIBLE SUNSHADE USED IN THE HELICOPTER HAD DEPARTED OUT OF THE OPEN BACK DOOR SIDE WINDOW. THE SUNSHADE CONTACTED THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT HAND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, AND THEN IMPACTED THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE ASSEMBLY. THE WIRE FROM THE SCREEN WRAPPED AROUND THE TAIL ROTOR PITCH CHANGE LINKS AND THE GEAR BOX OUTPUT SHAFT. THE OUT OF BALANCE CONDITION CAUSED THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX TO SHEAR TWO (2) OF THE FOUR (4) MOUNTING STUDS AND PULL A THIRD STUD LOOSE. HEAVY CONTACT FROM THE WIRE HIT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TAIL BOOM FORWARD OF THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE AREA. THE VERTICAL FIN HAD DAMAGE ON THE LEFT LOWER QUADRANT. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES RECEIVED SCORING SCRATCHING AND SMALL PUNCTURES IN BOTH BLADES.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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.