# NTSB DFW05IA119: Eurocopter France EC120B, N588SC, S.Timbalier 265, May 13, 2005 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: May 13, 2005, 14:25 local (19:25 UTC) - Place: S.Timbalier 265 - Coordinates: 28.940834, -90.769996 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.9408&lon=-90.7700&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 27, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: American Eurocopter, Federal Aviation Adminstration, Turbomeca USA, ERA Aviation, Inc., Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 61479 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW05IA119 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61479/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW05IA119 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power as result of the failure of the oil pump assembly. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - lubricating system,oil pressure pump - failure (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - autorotation - performed, pilot in command - Ditching, emergency landing - misc rotorcraft,emergency floatation gear - activated ## Analysis While in cruise flight approximately 14 miles south of Port Fourchon and while 500 feet above the water, the 2,117-hour pilot observed the engine low oil pressure light illuminate and shortly thereafter the helicopter lost total engine power. The pilot elected to turn into the wind, inflate the floats, and perform an autorotation to the water. After a successful autorotation, the pilot and passenger disembarked the helicopter without injury and were rescued. An examination of the engine on May 25, 2005 at Turbomeca USA revealed the total loss of engine power was a result of an interruption of engine lubrication due to excessive swelling of the oil pump assembly's check valve piston o-ring, part number 79-24-05-01-240. ## Factual narrative On May 13, 2005, about 1425 central daylight time, a single-engine Eurocopter France EC120B turbine powered helicopter, N588SC, registered to CFS Air LLC., of Danbury, Connecticut, and operated by ERA Helicopters LLC., of Lake Charles, Louisiana, remained undamaged during a forced autorotation landing into open ocean water near offshore platform South Timbelier ST 265, located in the Gulf of Mexico. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. The flight originated from ST 265 and was destined for Port Fourchon (9LA) near Fourchon, Louisiana. According to the 2,117-hour pilot, while approximately 14 miles south of Port Fourchon and while in crise flight at 500 feet above the water, he observed the engine low oil pressure light illuminate and shortly thereafter the helicopter lost total engine power. The pilot elected to turn the aircraft into the wind, activate the emergency floats, and perform an autorotation to the water. After a successful autorotation, the pilot and passenger disembarked the helicopter without injury and were rescued. At the time of the incident the pilot reported the fuel gauges indicated approximately 24 gallons of fuel. The pilot further reported that the helicopter remained upright until the recovery, at which time the helicopter rolled inverted, but remained afloat. The helicopter was recovered, and on May 16, 2005 was examined by investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), American Eurocopter, and Turbomeca USA. The investigators reported that the helicopter did not sustain damage during the incident but was submerged in salt water during the recovery. An examination of the engine on May 25, 2005, at the maintenance facilities of Turbomeca USA, in Grand Prairie, Texas, revealed the total loss of engine power was a result of an interruption of engine lubrication due to excessive swelling of the oil pump assembly's check valve piston o-ring, part number 79-24-05-01-240. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N588SC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N588SC-2009-04-09), registration cancelled 2009-04-09, S/N 1130, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Eurocopter France EC120B - Registry model: [Eurocopter EC120B](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-ec120b) (registry code 8680987) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Turbomeca ARRIUS-2F](https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arrius-2f) (registry code 60010, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1130 - Engines: Turbomeca Arrius 2F 504 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: ERA Helicopters - Registered owner: Cfs Air LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: S.Timbelier 265, GM - Destination: 9F2, Fourchon, GM - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 32; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 1, 2005; seat: right; flight hours: 2,117 total, 8 in this make and model, 2,071 as pilot in command, 82 in the last 90 days, 52 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20050513010519I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050513010519I), May 13, 2005: Urocop EC120B, Gulf Of Mexico, US, Minor damage. (-23) While enroute to home base, pilot observed an "engine" light followed by yaw. Entered autorotation, turned into wind. Deployed floats after below 75 KTS.… 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.