20071229830079A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206L-1 · Gulf Of Mexico, US · December 29, 2007

Date: December 29, 2007 · 15:31 local
Place: Gulf Of Mexico, US
Phase of flight: Power On Descent (Rotorcraft)
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: ALGA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N211EL
NTSB investigation: NTSBDFW08FA053
Reported as: Bell 206L1
Reported engine: Allison 250C28
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,870 total296 in this make and model124 in the last 90 days

N211ELRegistration cancelled Aug 6, 2010 · Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1S/N 45251 · Built 1979 Airframe modelBell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 Engine modelAllison 250-C28 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) Pilot continued to destination platform (SP38) after weather deteriorated to approximately 300' ceiling with 1 mile visibility. Company general operations manual states: "day VFR weather minimums for single engine aircraft: a ceiling of 500 feet and a visibility of three (3) mile." During landing, pilot lost control of the aircraft due to what he described as "settling-with-power" and contacted the water (Gulf Of Mexico).

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT CONTINUED TO DESTINATION PLATFORM (SP38) AFTER WEATHER DETERIORATED TO APPROXIMATELY 300' CEILING WITH 1 MILE VISIBILITY. COMPANY GENERAL OPERATIONS MANUAL STATES: "DAY VFR WEATHER MINIMUMS FOR SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT: A CEILING OF 500 FEET AND A VISIBILITY OF THREE (3) MILE." DURING LANDING, PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS "SETTLING-WITH-POWER" AND CONTACTED THE WATER (GULF OF MEXICO).

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 DFW08FA053Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportVenice, LAThe pilot’s decision to continue to the destination landing platform in weather conditions below the company’s weather minimums and his failure to maintain aircraft control during the approach. Contributing to the passenger fatality and the severity of the…Dec 29, 2007 · Destroyed