20130813022319A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 407 · Patterson, LA · August 13, 2013

Date: August 13, 2013 · 13:10 local
Place: Patterson, LA
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: PBVA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N53LP
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN13FA491
Reported as: Bell 407
Reported engine: Allison 250-C47
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 3
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,136 total140 in this make and model128 in the last 90 days

N53LPRegistration cancelled Jun 3, 2014 · Bell 407S/N 53319 · Built 1998 Airframe modelBell 407 Engine modelAllison 250-C47 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.

Aircraft was brought to a 10 foot hover on the oil rig platform. Pilot picked his direction for departure. Aircraft started forward, nose attitude down. As the aircraft was half off the platform a loud noise was heard and the aircraft started to descend. Pilot popped the floats and tried to auto rotate into the water. Aircraft hit flat into the water, blade struck the water causing the transmission to be pulled out with the roof of the helicopter. With transmission not being secured, thus causing the blades striking fuselage and engine.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT WAS BROUGHT TO A 10 FOOT HOVER ON THE OIL RIG PLATFORM. PILOT PICKED HIS DIRECTION FOR DEPARTURE. AIRCRAFT STARTED FORWARD, NOSE ATTITUDE DOWN. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS HALF OFF THE PLATFORM A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO DESCEND. PILOT POPPED THE FLOATS AND TRIED TO AUTO ROTATE INTO THE WATER. AIRCRAFT HIT FLAT INTO THE WATER, BLADE STRUCK THE WATER CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO BE PULLED OUT WITH THE ROOF OF THE HELICOPTER. WITH TRANSMISSION NOT BEING SECURED, THUS CAUSING THE BLADES STRIKING FUSELAGE AND ENGINE.

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 CEN13FA491Accident · Minor injuriesField investigationFinal reportShip Shoal 208H (Gulf of Mexico)The ingestion of vented methane gas into the helicopter’s engine during takeoff, which caused an engine compressor surge that led to a total loss of engine power.Aug 13, 2013 · Substantial damage