# Accident 20151030019639A: Bell 407, Gulf Of Mexico, October 30, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 30, 2015, 12:20 local time
- Place: Gulf Of Mexico
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HEEA
- Aircraft: N420PH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N420PH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 407 (registry code 1182206, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-407) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C47B (registry code 54585, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c47b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 407
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C47B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,104 total, 313 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA16CA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA039) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151030019639A

## Narrative

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

ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 30, 2015 THE PILOT AND AIRCRAFT BEGAN THE OPERATIONAL DAY AT HIGH ISLAND A 264, AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM LOCATED IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.  THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE PLATFORM WITH THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ONBOARD DESTINED FOR ANOTHER OFFSHORE LOCATION, WEST CAMERON 149 .THE PILOT DROPPED OFF HIS PASSENGER AND FLEW THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO PASSENGERS TO ANOTHER OFFSHORE LOCATION; WEST CAMERON 167. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT AND SECURED THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM BY ATTACHING A ROPE TO THE FORWARD LEFT MAIN ROTOR BLADE AND TYING THE ROPE END TO THE LEFT FRONT SKID CROSS TUBE.  HE THEN WENT INSIDE THE PLATFORM FACILITY FOR SLIGHTLY OVER 3 HOURS WHILE WAITING FOR A CALL TO RETURN TO WEST CAMERON 149 TO PICK UP THE PASSENGER.

THE PILOT RECEIVED A CALL AT APPROXIMATELY 12:15 INSTRUCTION HIM TO RETURN TO WEST CAMERON 149 TO PICK UP THE PASSENGER FOR FURTHER TRANSPORTATION AS DIRECTED.  THE PILOT WENT TO THE PLATFORM HELIDECK WERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED AND PROCEEDED DIRECTLY TO THE RIGHT-REAR CABIN DOOR AND PLACED HIS PERSONNEL BAG IN THE AIRCRAFT.  HE THEN MOVED TO THE RIGHT-FRONT COCKPIT DOOR AND PLACED ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL ITEMS IN THE AIRCRAFT IN PREPARATION FOR FLIGHT, THEN ENTERED THE AIRCRAFT USING THE SAME DOOR AND SAT IN THE RIGHT-FRONT PILOT SEAT.  HE THEN PROCEED TO START THE AIRCRAFT AND NOTED A FEW SECONDS AFTER INITIATING THE ENGINE START THE AIRCRAFT MAKE AN ?UNUSUAL NOISE? AND BEGAN TO SHAKE.  HE IMMEDIATELY SECURED THE ENGINE AND COMPLETED AIRCRAFT SHUTDOWN.  UPON EXITING THE AIRCRAFT HE FOUND ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE DAMAGED BY THE ROTATION OF THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM WITH THE TIE DOWN ATTACHED DURING THE ENGINE START.

## 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 GAA16CA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA039), Oct 30, 2015: Bell 407 (N420PH), Cameron, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to remove a main rotor blade tiedown, which resulted in substantial damage to a main rotor blade when the engine was started.

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.