- Date
- August 1, 2002, 15:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- E Cameron 190
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N25GHBell 206L-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020801017269A
- Case key
- 55386
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
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 helicopter was en route to a gas production platform in the Gulf of Mexico when the helicopter's engine steadily lost power and the 2,500-hour commercial pilot initiated an autorotation to the water. During touch down, a main rotor blade struck the tail boom, separating a section of the tail rotor drive shaft and damaging both vertical winglets. No engine discrepancies or anomalies were noted with the engine during the investigation.
Factual narrative
On August 1, 2002, at 1540 central daylight time, a Bell 206L-1 helicopter, N25GH, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to the water following a loss of engine power near East Cameron 190, Gulf of Mexico. The helicopter was registered to Go Helicopters Inc. and operated by Go Helitrans of Manvel, Texas. The commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. The flight originated at West Cameron 237, Gulf of Mexico, at 1530, and was en route to Vermillon 410, Gulf of Mexico.
According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB form 6120.1/2), the operator reported that en route to Vermillon 410, an offs-shore platform, while at 1,500 feet msl, the helicopter's engine steadily lost power until the 2,500-hour pilot initiated an autorotation. During the touch down on the water, a main rotor blade struck the tail boom separating a section of the tail rotor drive shaft, and damaging both vertical winglets. The pilot and passengers exited the helicopter and was picked up by a crew boat. The helicopter was loaded onto a barge and transported to shore, then to the operator's location in Manvel, Texas.
The helicopter's engine had accumulated a total time of 17,982.4 hours, with 4.4 hours since the last 100-hour inspection that was performed on July 30, 2002.
Examination of the fuel system, by FAA inspectors, revealed some debris in the main fuel tanks and discolored fuel in the line that goes to the fuel filter. Clear fuel was found in the line that goes from the fuel filter to the fuel control. The fuel control and power turbine governor were removed for further examination.
On September 18, 2002, at the manufacturer's facilities in South Bend, Indiana, the fuel control and power turbine governor were tested for run-as-received (RAR), as requested by the NTSB IIC. Three representatives from Honeywell and an Air Safety Inspector from the FAA's South Bend FSDO witnessed the examination. Based on the testing, Honeywell found no anomalies that would result in a loss of power, flameout, or sudden overspeed condition.
No other engine discrepancies or anomalies were noted with the engine or airframe during the investigation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N25GH
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 45755
- Airframe hours
- 23,744.7
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce 250-C28B, 720 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Helitrans Company, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Go Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 30, 2002 · 4.4 hours before
- Departed
- W Cameron 237, GM
- Destination
- Vermillon 410, GM
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- September 27, 2001
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 2,200 as pilot in command · 208 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 99 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 19, 2007, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 747 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.