# Accident 20170227007449A: Bell 407, Chauvin, LA, February 27, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 27, 2017, 10:25 local time
- Place: Chauvin, LA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: IAVA
- Location: 29.4393° N, 90.5906° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.4393&lon=-90.5906&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1371, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1371-2017-10-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 407 (registry code 1182206, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-407) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C47 series (registry code 03029, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c47-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 407
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C47
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,265 total, 122 in this make and model, 140 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN17FA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA112) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170227007449A

## Narrative

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

WESTWIND HELICOPTERS REPOSITION FLIGHT, FROM OFFSHORE TO BASE IN HOUMA, LA (BUTLER AVIATION.) COMPANY CHDO IS HOUSTON FSDO.

AIRCRAFT REPORTED OVERDUE VIA SKYCONNECT AFTER FAILING TO TRANSMIT AUTOMATED POSITION REPORT:

*10:14 - DEPARTED PLATFORM MESSAGE VIA SKYCONNECT.

*10:24 - LAST AUTOMATED POSITION REPORT VIA SKYCONNECT:

LAT/LON 29.291/90.521

ALTITUDE 374 FT

HEADING 335

GROUND SPEED 148 KTS

*10:26 - NEXT AUTOMATED POSITION REPORT DUE

*10:33 - OVERDUE MESSAGE VIA SKYCONNECT.

WRECKAGE FOUND BY SECOND WESTWIND AIRCRAFT @ 1135 LCL IN SHALLOW WATER IN LAKE BARRE, ABOUT 16 NM SSE OF HOUMA. NO MOVEMENT NOTED.

ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT DESTROYED, LONE OCCUPANT (PILOT) FATAL.

ALL OTHER EVENTS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

## 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 CEN17FA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA112), Feb 27, 2017: Bell 407 (N1371), Chauvin, LA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain proper altitude resulting in a collision with water for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

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.

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