20090504006709A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 407 · Gulf Of Mexico · May 4, 2009

Date: May 4, 2009 · 15:00 local
Place: Gulf Of Mexico
Phase of flight: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: YTRA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N164RL
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN09CA275
Reported as: Bell 407
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,090 total337 in this make and model116 in the last 90 days

N164RLRegistered now · Bell 407S/N 53140 · Built 1997 Airframe modelBell 407 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.

Pilot was attempting to land on offshore platform. While on approach to platform, the tailrotor hit the windsock pole. The tailrotor was destroyed, causing the pilot to have to autorotate to the deck. The tailrotor gearbox and tailboom were also damaged.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON OFFSHORE PLATFORM. WHILE ON APPROACH TO PLATFORM, THE TAILROTOR HIT THE WINDSOCK POLE. THE TAILROTOR WAS DESTROYED, CAUSING THE PILOT TO HAVE TO AUTOROTATE TO THE DECK. THE TAILROTOR GEARBOX AND TAILBOOM WERE ALSO DAMAGED.

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 CEN09CA275Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportHigh Island 138The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the windsock during the approach.May 4, 2009 · Substantial damage