# NTSB CEN22FA100: Bell 407, N167RL, Houma, LA, January 14, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report - Date: January 14, 2022, 10:01 local (16:01 UTC) - Place: Houma, LA - Coordinates: 29.491308, -90.42939 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.4913&lon=-90.4294&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Medical event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/850) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Rolls Royce, Bell, Rotorcraft Leasing Company, LLC, FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 104527 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22FA100 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104527/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104527 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA100 ## Probable cause The pilot’s sudden loss of consciousness for undetermined reasons during cruise flight, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Impairment/incapacitation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012000): Personnel issues › Physical · Flight crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 407, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012000/cases.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Medical event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/850) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell 407, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/850/sequence.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 63 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/850/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Bell 407, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bell 407, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and passenger departed in the helicopter on the on-demand passenger flight. Cockpit imagery indicated that, while enroute, the pilot experienced a sudden loss of consciousness. The helicopter departed controlled flight and impacted terrain. Examination of the helicopter revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Autopsy of the pilot was limited due to extensive traumatic injury. While the pilot’s cardiovascular system showed no evidence of natural disease, an arrhythmia or other electrical disorder would not leave evidence on autopsy; thus, the cause of the pilot’s sudden incapacitation could not be determined. Varying levels of ethanol were detected in the pilot’s liver, lung, kidney, and muscle tissue. Butanol and propanol were also detected in some tissues. Given the differing ethanol tissue concentrations, the state the body was recovered, and the presence of butanol and propanol in some tissues, it is likely that the identified ethanol was from sources other than ingestion. ## Factual narrative On January 14, 2022, about 1001 central standard time, a Bell 407, N167RL, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Houma, Louisiana. The commercial pilot and a passenger sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand passenger flight. The helicopter was equipped with an Appareo Vision 1000, which captured cockpit imagery of the accident flight. The recorded video indicated that the flight was proceeding normally until about 10:00:50, when the pilot’s head began to fall back in a motion not consistent with scanning for traffic or with directed attention. The helicopter was traveling at a speed of about 123 knots and an altitude about 1,220 ft mean sea level. The pilot’s movements after this time appeared to be undirected and solely in response to the g-forces resulting from aircraft motion. The pilot’s head began to move toward the right and upward until the end of the recording. The pilot’s motion remained consistent with an undirected response to aircraft motion. The view outside the windscreen was consistent with a nose-down, inverted attitude just before the end of the recording. A witness near the accident site stated that he saw the helicopter descend into terrain in a nose-down attitude and did not see any parts separate from the helicopter while it was airborne. The 30-year-old male pilot held a second-class Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certificate with a limitation for corrective lenses. At the time of the most recent exam, he reported no medications or medical conditions. No significant medical concerns were identified. Department of Veterans Affairs disability records showed that the pilot had a history of migraines and tinnitus, but had no diagnosis of traumatic brain injury. According to the autopsy, the pilot’s cause of death was massive total body trauma and the manner of death was accident. The examination was limited by extensive trauma. The cardiovascular system showed no evidence of natural disease. Toxicology testing performed by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected ethanol in the pilot’s liver, lung, kidney, and muscle tissue at 0.056 grams per hectogram (gm/hg), 0.012 gm/hg, 0.055 gm/hg, and 0.039 gm/hg, respectively (grams per hectogram in tissue samples are directly comparable to grams per deciliter in blood samples). N-butanol was detected in liver, kidney, and muscle tissues, but was not detected in lung tissue. N-propanol was detected in kidney and muscle tissues but was not detected in his liver and lung tissues. The non-impairing over-the-counter antihistamine, fexofenadine, and its metabolite, azacyclonol, were detected in the pilot’s liver and muscle tissue. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed there was no mechanical failure or malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N167RL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N167RL-2023-11-08), registration cancelled 2023-11-08, S/N 53167, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 407 - Registry model: [Bell 407](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-407) (registry code 1182206) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250-C47 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c47-series) (registry code 03029, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 53167 - Year built: 1997 - Airframe hours: 20224.6 - Engines: Rolls Royce M250-C47B 650 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Rotorcraft Leasing Company, LLC - Registered owner: Rotorcraft Leasing Company, LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, December 26, 2022 - Departed: VEN, Venice, LA - Destination: PTN, Patterson, LA - Flight plan: Company VFR - Equipment: ADS-B, Data recorder, Satellite tracking device, Video recording device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: fatal; flight instructor, commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 13, 2021; seat: right; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,951.5 total, 29.8 in this make and model, 1,951.5 as pilot in command, 86.2 in the last 90 days, 59.6 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 6 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: HUM ## 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 20220114001679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220114001679A), Jan 14, 2022: Bell 407, Houma, LA, Destroyed, 2 fatal. On January 14, 2022, at approximately 7:54 am local time, a Bell 407 helicopter, with n registration N167RL departed patterson, LA (ptn) operating under part… ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 14, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104527. 21.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14542946&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversations (item 2, PDF, 10 pages, 151 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14543226&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversations%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Wreckage examination report (item 3, PDF, 13 pages, 7 photos, 802 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14142492&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN22FA100-%20Wreckage%20Exam%20Report%20(FINAL)-Rel.pdf - Wreckage release (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14544338&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=167RL%20Wreckage%20Release_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Adsb data (item 5, CSV, 10.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14564725&FileExtension=csv&FileName=20220114_A10D31_474078295_ADSB-Rel.csv - Toxicological report (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 332 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14566814&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Toxicology_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation (item 7, PDF, 3 pages, 5.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14566045&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Party%20Statement%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Image - factual (item 8, PDF, 14 pages, 4 photos, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14584589&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN22FA100_Appareo_HoumaLA-final-Rel.pdf - Medical factual (item 9, PDF, 4 pages, 140 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14603462&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN22FA100_Houma_LA_Medical_Factual_FINAL_102022-Rel.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.