- Date
- August 12, 2007, 13:09 local (18:09 UTC)
- Place
- Houma, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N85TCBell 206
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Houston, Texas
- Case key
- 66474
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 properly secure all loose items prior to takeoff.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The single-engine helicopter was conducting a round-robin flight between two offshore oil platforms. On the return flight, the pilot heard an unusual noise followed by "pronounced roughness in the tail rotor system." After a few seconds the roughness decreased and the pilot determined that the tail rotor was still functional. After landing, the pilot performed a post-flight inspection of the helicopter and discovered a metal wire wrapped around both sides of the tail rotor. Post accident examination revealed structural damage to the tail rotor blades, the tail boom, and the lower portion of the vertical fin assembly, including the tail skid. According to the pilot's statement a 3-foot-by-4- foot sunshade used to protect the cockpit windows, departed the helicopter during the flight. The pilot reported that he had failed to properly secure the sunshade prior to takeoff, which inadvertently exited an open window and became entangled in the tail rotor system. The 11,944-hour airline transport rated pilot reported having accumulated 375-hours in the same make and model helicopter.
Factual narrative
The single-engine helicopter was conducting a round-robin flight between two offshore oil platforms. On the return flight, the pilot heard an unusual noise followed by "pronounced roughness in the tail rotor system." After a few seconds the roughness decreased and the pilot determined that the tail rotor was still functional. After landing, the pilot performed a post-flight inspection of the helicopter and discovered a metal wire wrapped around both sides of the tail rotor. Post accident examination revealed structural damage to the tail rotor blades, the tail boom, and the lower portion of the vertical fin assembly, including the tail skid. According to the pilot's statement a 3-foot-by-4- foot sunshade used to protect the cockpit windows, departed the helicopter during the flight. The pilot reported that he had failed to properly secure the sunshade prior to takeoff, which inadvertently exited an open window and became entangled in the tail rotor system. The 11,944-hour airline transport rated pilot reported having accumulated 375-hours in the same make and model helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N85TC
- Reported as
- Bell 206
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 51143
- Airframe hours
- 6,213.5
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce 250-C30P, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Evergreen Helicopters, doing business as Evergreen Helicopters International Inc.
- Registered owner
- Evergreen Equity Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 1, 2007 · 29.8 hours before
- Departed
- Ss99a, TX
- Destination
- Ss110, TX
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 1, 2007
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 11,944 total · 375 in this make and model · 8,244 as pilot in command · 114 in the last 90 days · 37 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None