# Accident 20221026011179A: Bell 407, Gulf Of Mexico, LA, October 26, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 26, 2022, 18:30 local time
- Place: Gulf Of Mexico, LA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: IAVA
- Location: 29.9171° N, 91.7550° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from the FAA’s distance and direction from , within about 9 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9171&lon=-91.7550&mi=10
- Aircraft: N34BM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N34BM) (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
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 21,435 total, 520 in this make and model, 191 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23FA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA019) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221026011179A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SHIP SHOAL 349(SS349) A MANNED OFFSHORE OIL PLATFORM AT 1631HRS FOR ABBEVILLE AIRPORT(IYA) WITH AN ETA OF 1755HRS.  AT 1720 COMPANY FLIGHT FOLLOWING RECEIVED AN OVERDUE AIRCRAFT WARNING AFTER THE SATELLITE TRACKING SYSTEM WAS NOT ABLE TO "PING" THE AIRCRAFT.  AT 1755HRS A PILOT FLYING A SIMILAR ROUTE AS THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT NOTIFIED FLIGHT FOLLOWING, THEY HAD FOUND THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT IN THE WATER INVERTED WITH THE SKID MOUNTED EMERGENCY FLOATS DEPLOYED.  THE PILOT ALSO NOTED THEY SAW 2 PERSONS ON THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT.  THE AIRCRAFT COORDINATES WERE GIVEN TO THE COAST GUARD FOR RESCUE OPERATIONS.  PASSENGER ONE, SEATED IN THE FRONT LEFT SEAT, INDICATED THAT THE PILOT APPEARED TO HAVE HAD A MEDICAL EMERGENCY AND APPEARED TO PASS OUT AT THE CONTROLS.  PASSENGER ONE REACHED OVER AND ATTEMPTED TO BRING THE AIRCRAFT DOWN.  AT ABOUT 90 FEET THE PILOT SLUMPED OVER THE CYCLIC CONTROL STICK WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO CRASH INTO THE WATER NOSE FIRST.  PASSENGER TWO INDICATED HE WOKE FROM A NAP WHEN HE HEARD A CHANGE IN THE ENGINE NOISE.  HE WITNESSED THE PILOT SLUMPED OVER WITH PASSENGER ONE ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT.  THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO SUSTAIN SERIOUS DAMAGE IN THE CRASH BUT BROKE APART FROM RECOVERY EFFORTS.

## 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 CEN23FA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA019), Oct 26, 2022: Bell 407 (N34BM), Morgan City, LA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of consciousness due to a cardiovascular event.

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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