# NTSB CEN14LA103: Bell 430, N430CT, West Delta 109, January 5, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 5, 2014, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC) - Place: West Delta 109 - Coordinates: 29.270156, -89.350418 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2702&lon=-89.3504&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 24, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Jacksonville FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 88636 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA103 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88636/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88636 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA103 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain tail rotor clearance from a handrail on a crane davit on an oil platform during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 430, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=1182150), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Tail rotor: tail rotor blade](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046410): Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor · Damaged/degraded; cases with it: [Bell 430, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046410/cases.md?model=1182150), [All aircraft, 31 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046410/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-hover: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell 430, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=1182150), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-hover: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bell 430, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1182150), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that she was making a normal approach to the oil platform. Both cranes were shut down on the oil platform, and she received a green deck for landing. The helicopter was over the landing circle when she turned the helicopter's tail and felt a severe shudder. She immediately landed and shut down the helicopter. The examination of the helicopter and landing platform revealed that the tail rotor blades had struck a handrail on the east crane davit, which resulted in substantial damage to the tail rotor gearbox and drivetrain. ## Factual narrative On January 5, 2014, about 1000 central standard time, a Bell B430 helicopter, N430CT, sustained substantial damage during landing when the tail rotor struck a handrail on the crane davit on the West Delta 109 oil platform located in the Gulf of Mexico. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The helicopter was owned and operated by Chevron USA Inc., under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a business flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The helicopter departed the Chevron Main Pass 313 oil platform about 0930, and was on a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan. The pilot reported that both cranes were shut down on the oil platform and she received a "green" deck for landing. The pilot made a normal approach to the platform. The helicopter was over the landing circle when she turned the helicopter's tail and felt a severe shudder. She immediately landed and shut down the helicopter. The examination of the landing platform and helicopter revealed that the tail rotor blades had struck a handrail on the crane davit, which resulted in substantial damage to the tail rotor gearbox and drivetrain. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N430CT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N430CT-2022-12-31), registration cancelled 2022-12-31, S/N 49089, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 430 - Registry model: [Bell 430](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-430) (registry code 1182150) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C40B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c40b) (registry code 54525, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 49089 - Year built: 2002 - Airframe hours: 11122 - Engines: Rolls-Royce 250-C40B 715 lbs thrust turbo shaft; Rolls-Royce 250-C40B 715 lbs thrust turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Operator: Chevron U S A Inc - Registered owner: Chevron U S A Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: AAIP, December 23, 2013 - Departed: MP313, GM - Destination: West Delta 109, GM - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: None, West Delta 109 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 1, 2013; seat: right; flight hours: 10,047 total, 1,300 in this make and model, 8,310 as pilot in command, 103 in the last 90 days, 42 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: BVE, 30 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20140105002489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140105002489A), Jan 5, 2014: Bell 430, Venice, LA, Substantial damage. Pilot was distracted with personal issues on short final to an offshore heliport. She allowed aircraft to make contact with hand rail on the gantry of the… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 18, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88636. 3.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409497&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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. --- 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.