# NTSB DFW06FAMS1: Bell 206-L3, N6560K, Gulf of Mexico, October 6, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Missing aircraft · Final report - Date: October 6, 2005, 16:45 local (21:45 UTC) - Place: Gulf of Mexico - Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 62629 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW06FAMS1 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62629/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=62629 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW06FAMS1 ## Probable cause Undetermined. The aircraft is missing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Missing aircraft, unknown - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) ## Analysis The 7,498-hour commercial pilot was assumed to have departed an unmanned offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico with two passengers onboard destined for a private heliport in Louisiana. When the pilot failed to make his required 30-minute position reports, a search was initiated by the United States Coast Guard (USCG). No distress calls were ever reported from the pilot and no debris was ever located. The USCG ceased search and rescue efforts 4 days after the reported disappearance of the helicopter; however, the operator continued to fly over the coastlines of Texas and Louisiana in search of washed-up debris and issued an All-Notification to vessels operating in the Gulf of Mexico. At the time of this report, the helicopter is still missing. ## Factual narrative On October 6, 2005, approximately 1645 central daylight time, a single-engine Bell 206-L3 helicopter, N6560K, registered to and operated by Industrial Helicopters, Incorporated, of Lafayette, Louisiana, disappeared under unknown circumstances while operating in the Gulf of Mexico. The helicopter was never located and the commercial pilot and the two passengers are presumed dead. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. During a telephone interview, a representative of the operator stated that the pilot made two flights in the accident helicopter on the day of the accident. Both flights originated from the company's base heliport in Scott, Louisiana. The pilot departed approximately 1200 and flew to South Marsh Island 23 to refuel. He then departed on an approximate 30-minute flight to the Vermillion 408 manned offshore platform, and then returned to the company's base heliport in Scott, Louisiana. On the second flight, the pilot departed at an unknown time and flew to South Marsh Island 23 to re-fuel. The pilot then departed and flew to the Vermillion 408 manned offshore platform, and then on to the Vermillion 369 unmanned offshore platform, which was located approximately 5 to 6 miles away, where he picked up three passengers and returned to Vermillion 408. According to personnel based at Vermillion 408, the solo pilot departed the platform approximately 1645, and was destined for the Vermillion 369 offshore platform, where he was scheduled to pick up the only two remaining maintenance personnel on that platform. When the pilot failed to make the required 30-minute position reports, a search was initiated by the United States Coast Guard (USCG). The two maintenance personnel were not found at the Vermillion 369 platform and it was assumed that they had boarded the helicopter for their scheduled flight back to Scott, Louisiana. No distress calls were ever reported by the pilot, and no debris was ever located. The USCG ceased search and rescue efforts on October 10, 2005, but the operator continued to fly over the coastlines of Texas and Louisiana in search of washed up debris. Additionally, an All-Notification to vessels operating in the Gulf of Mexico was issued. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land, rotorcraft-helicopter, and instrument-helicopter. His last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) second class medical was issued on April 19, 2005. The pilot was hired by Industrial Helicopters Incorporated in May 2005, and he satisfactorily completed a Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 135 proficiency check on June 1, 2005. As part of his initial training, the pilot received 6-hours of General Emergency Training, which included ditching/emergency evacuation and use of flotation devices. A review of his flight and duty time records revealed that he had accrued approximately 7,498.9 flight hours as of October 2, 2005; of which, 1,944 hours were in a Bell 206 helicopter. At 1653, the automated surface observing system at the Lafayette Regional Airport (LFT), near Lafayette, Louisiana, approximately six miles southwest of Scott, Louisiana, reported wind from 020 degrees at 11 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 89 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 62 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure of 29.80 inches of Mercury. A pilot flying in the area of Vermillion 369 reported that the sky was clear around the time the helicopter went missing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6560K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6560K-2009-03-09), registration cancelled 2009-03-09, S/N 51426, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206-L3 - Registry model: [Bell 206L-3](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206l-3) (registry code 1182108) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250-C30 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c30-series) (registry code 03015, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 51426 - Engines: Allison 250-C30 650 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Industrial Helicopters Inc., doing business as Industrial Helicopters Inc. - Registered owner: Industrial Helicopters Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: Vermillion 408 - Destination: Scott, LA - Airport: LFT, Lafayette Regional Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: fatal; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2005; seat: right; flight hours: 7,498 total, 7,324 as pilot in command, 144 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: KLFT, 160 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 20051006024639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051006024639A), Oct 6, 2005: Bell 206L3, Gulf Of Mexico, US, Destroyed. (-23) Aircraft departed from vermillion 408 enroute to pick up 2 passengers at vermillion 369, then to scott, Louisiana (main base). Company lost contact with… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 28, 2006, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=62629. 315 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 252 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40448646&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation with Operator (item 2, .PDF, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40242733&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20Operator-Master.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.