FTW04FA186

The 18,056-hour pilot made a mayday distress call on the common traffic advisory frequency stating that "he was going down." No further radio transmissions were received from the pilot. The helicopter impacted the water about 8 miles short of it intended destination. The positioning flight was scheduled from an offshore oil platform to the company's on-shore operations base. Signatures of the recovered wreckage were consistent with an uncontrolled impact with the water. There were no reported eyewitnesses to the accident, and no significant weather was reported in the area at the time of the accident. No mechanical anomalies were found with the airframe or the engine during the course of the investigation. The engine teardown examination at the engine manufacturer's factory did not reveal any anomalies that could have prevented normal operations. Several helicopter components and parts were further examined at the helicopter manufacturer's laboratory. No anomalies or pre-existing faults were found with any of the examined parts.

History of flight

On July 17, 2004, approximately 0930 central daylight time (CDT), a Bell 206L-1 single-engine turbine powered helicopter, N1078C, registered to and operated by Rotorcraft Leasing Company L.L.C. (RLC) of Broussard, Louisiana, as Apache 51, was destroyed when it impacted water in the Gulf of Mexico during a forced landing near Cameron, Louisiana. The airline transport rated pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 positioning flight. The flight originated from the offshore platform West Cameron (WC) 645 at 0838, and was destined for the company's Cameron onshore operations base (CAM), near Cameron, Louisiana.

On the first flight of the day on July 17, 2004, the pilot departed CAM at 0643 and arrived at High Island (HI) 350 at 0745. Apache 51 departed HI 350 at 0755 and arrived at WC 544 at 0804, where the helicopter was refueled. The pilot reported the fuel-on-board to be 2 hours and 30 minutes, with an estimated time of arrival at CAM to be 0940. At 0814, Apache 51 departed WC 544 for WC 645. Apache 51 arrived at WC 645 at 0830. At 0838, Apache 51 departed WC 645, reporting two hours of fuel-on-board and a distance of 105 nautical miles to CAM with an estimated arrival time of 0940. While en route, Apache 51 made position reports every 15 minutes as required by RLC to the company's communications center. These reports included the remaining miles to the intended destination, which were at 85, 59, and 27 nautical miles from CAM. At 0928, the pilot reported to RLC's communication center on frequency 129.8 that he was 10 miles south of CAM. The pilot then switched to the local area common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) of 123.05. A representative from RLC stated that 10 miles out from CAM is the last standard call to RLC, and the standard arrival altitude is 500 feet.

Approximately 0930, another pilot who was flying in the vicinity reported hearing on local area common traffic advisory frequency, 123.05 mhz, the following: "Mayday, mayday, mayday, Apache (garbled), I'm going down, I'm going down, 10 miles south of Sabine... I mean 10 miles south of Cameron." The commercial pilot tried to confirm Apache 51's location, and heard "10 miles south of Cameron, 10 miles south of Cameron." No further radio transmissions were received from Apache 51, and there were no reported eyewitnesses to the accident.

Personnel information

The 66-year old pilot had been employed by RLC since December 28, 1999, and was assigned to CAM. He began his seven-day work schedule on July 16, 2004, by driving from his home in Nederland, Texas, about one hour away, before reporting for duty at 0545. The pilot departed on the first flight of the day on July 16, 2004, at 0637, and returned to the CAM base at the end of the day at 1805, logging 8.0 hours of flight time. The next morning on July 17, 2004, the pilot reported for duty at 0545, before departing on the first flight of the day.

Two co-workers (flight follower and pilot), who also work for RLC and knew the pilot, noted uncharacteristic behavior on the day before and the day of the accident. Both witnesses observed that an otherwise focused, precise, and cheerful pilot exhibited confusion and agitation, which resulted in numerous flight-communication errors that were made by the pilot during the two-day period.

The pilot held an airline transport certificate with a rotorcraft helicopter rating. The pilot was issued his most recent first-class medical certificate on December 29, 2003, with the restriction of "must wear lenses that correct for distant vision and possess glasses that correct for near vision."

According to company records, the pilot had accumulated 18,056 hours total flight time, all in helicopters, of which 10,530 hours were in the accident make/model helicopter. In the preceding 90 days, the pilot had logged 226 hours of flight time, and in the preceding 30 days, he had logged 85 hours of flight time.

On January 26, 2004, in accordance with 14 CFR Part 135 recurrent and proficiency check training requirements, the pilot satisfactorily completed RLC's Bell helicopter 206 series annual recurrent training course and check ride. The pilot had also completed RLC's Bell Helicopter 407 training requirements on April 13, 2004.

Aircraft information

The 1980-model Bell 206L-1, serial number 45392, was powered by a 650-horspower Rolls-Royce Allison 250-C30P turbo shaft engine, serial number CAE 898015, driving a two-bladed main rotor system and a two-bladed tail rotor. There was no flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder installed on the helicopter, nor was there a requirement for one.

The Bell model 206 helicopters are maintained in accordance with Aircraft Type Certificate Data Sheet number H2SW and the appropriate Bell model Maintenance Manual. The Bell model 206 series of RLC's Approved Aircraft Inspection Program (AAIP) requirements (regardless of model) are:

1. 200-hour tail rotor gearbox and transmission oil change.

2. 600-hour hydraulic and facet filter bypass.

3. 7-day airframe inspection.

4. 3-month emergency equipment inspection.

5. 6-month float inspection.

6. 12-month main rotor mast internal inspection.

7. 24-month flight control bolt inspection.

In addition, RLC's Bell 206L-1, L-3, and L-4 accomplish the following inspections:

1. Daily preflight inspection.

2. 100-hour airframe inspection.

3. 300-hour airframe inspection.

4. 1200-hour airframe inspection.

The AAIP requires that the Allison Model 250-C30 engine be maintained in accordance with Engine Type Certificate Data Sheet number E1GL, and engine life-limited parts be replaced in accordance with Allison Operation and Maintenance Manual 16W2. Engines parts that require overhaul are to be overhauled in accordance with Allison Overhaul Manual 14W3.

The original 250-C28 engine was removed from the helicopter and converted to a 250-C30P engine in accordance with Allison Commercial Engine Bulletin (CEB) 72-3120 authorization, and returned to service on April 5, 2004. The conversion was listed under RLC's work order 2369, with engine total time of 2,734.7 hours. The engine was reinstalled on N1078C on May 3, 2004, in accordance with Air Services International, Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SH296NM.

On May 12, 2004, N1078C was released for service after being refurbished (paint, windows, interior, wiring harness, and several avionic and component changes). The 100-hour airframe, 300-hour airframe, and the 1,200-hour airframe inspections were also accomplished. The engine had 2,734.7 hours and the airframe had 22,469.8 hours.

On July 4, 2004, the Allison 250C30 150-hour engine inspection was accomplished. The airframe total time was 22,612.5 hours and the engine total time was 2,869.4 hours.

On July 11, 2004, the 7-day airframe inspection was accomplished. The airframe total time was 22,641.1 hours.

On July 14, 2004, the 100-hour airframe inspection was accomplished. The airframe total time was 22,658.5 hours.

On July 15, 2004, the 200-hour tail rotor gearbox and transmission oil change was accomplished. The airframe total time was 22,666.4 hours.

RLC's component status report dated July 15, 2004, was reviewed for verification of component serial numbers and times.

Bell Helicopter Service Bulletins and Airworthiness Directives were reviewed for compliance, with no noted discrepancies.

N1078C's maintenance logbook was reviewed from June 1, 2004 to July 16, 2004, including corrective actions for all discrepancies. No anomalies or unusual events were noted, and no open discrepancies or deferred items were listed in maintenance records at the time of the accident.

Maintenance training records for the two maintenance technicians assigned and working at th