# Accident 20081211852549A: Bell 206L4, Sabine Pass, TX, December 11, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 11, 2008, 07:30 local time
- Place: Sabine Pass, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: YTRA
- Location: 29.6550° N, 93.9483° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6550&lon=-93.9483&mi=10
- Aircraft: N180AL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N180AL-2013-03-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206-L4 (registry code 1182110, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206-l4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C30 series (registry code 03015, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c30-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L4
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C30P
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 5
- Pilot flight hours: 3,450 total, 103 in this make and model, 77 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN09FA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09FA086) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081211852549A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SABINE PASS ISLAND OPERATIONAL HELIPORT WITH 1 PILOT AND 4 PASSENGERS, EN ROUTE TO RIG AREA, WEST CAMERON-157, AND CRASHED AT OR ABOUT 111330Z, APPROXAMATELY 8 MILES SE OF SABINE PASS FROM UNKNOWN CAUSES. WEATHER RECORDS FROM BEAUMONT MUNICIPLE AIRPORT (KBPT) SHOW: 111153Z AUTO 30010KT 10SM BKN040 BKN090 01/M01 A3000 RMK AO2 UPB12E17SNE12SLP159 P0001 60017 70028 T00111006 10011 20000 55007 FZRANO44. METAR KBPT 111253Z 30009KT 10SM OVC044 01/M01 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP163 T00111006 SPEC1 KBPT 111336Z 30012KT 10SM BKN012 BKN046 OVC120 01/M01 A3003 RMK AO2

## 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 CEN09FA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09FA086), Dec 11, 2008: Bell 206L-4 (N180AL), Sabine Pass, TX, destroyed, 5 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the water. Contributing to the accident was the inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions.

## Other reports on N180AL (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20021031037269I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021031037269I), Oct 31, 2002: Bell 206L4 (N180AL), New Orleans, LA, Minor damage. (-23) The pilot in command reported that immediately after lift-off from the helipad the helicopter rolled to the left. He applied full right cyclic and…

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.