- Date
- January 12, 2009, 11:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Vermillion 229
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N193EHEurocopter AS350
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090112001979A
- Case key
- 73218
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a known obstruction. Contributing to the accident was the location/placement of lightning rods in the landing zone.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he was departing the heliport at the oil rig platform and had brought the helicopter into a low hover. While in the hover, the tail rotor struck a two-foot vertical lightning rod attached to the platform edge causing damage to the tail rotor blades and horizontal stabilizer, wrinkling the tail boom, and displacing the tail rotor gear box. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter prior to impact. The pilot stated that he had observed the lightning rod placement during previous landings on the platform as well as during the current operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he was departing the heliport at the oil rig platform and had brought the helicopter into a low hover. While in the hover, the tail rotor struck a two foot vertical lightning rod attached to the platform edge causing damage to the tail rotor blades, horizontal stabilizer, wrinkling the tail boom, and displacing the tail rotor gear box. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter prior to impact. The pilot stated that he had observed the lightning rod placement during previous landings on the platform, as well during the current operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N193EH
- Reported as
- Eurocopter AS350
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2599
- Airframe hours
- 7,885
- Engine
- Ariel 1D1, 712 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Era Helicopters LLC
- Registered owner
- Era Helicopters LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Condition · January 11, 2009
- Departed
- V299 · Vermillion 229, GM
- Destination
- Cameron, LA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- V229 · Vermilion 229
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 25, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,811 total · 369 in this make and model · 1,749 as pilot in command · 41 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 28, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 10.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.