# NTSB FTW82DA033: Aerospatle AS350D, N3606U, Gulf Of Mexico (Gulf of Mexico), December 24, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: December 24, 1981
- Place: Gulf Of Mexico (Gulf of Mexico) · GULF OF MEXICO, GM
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 25, 1982
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 123103
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW82DA033
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW82DA033

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3348  81/12/24   GULF OF MEXICO      AEROSPATLE AS350D   CR-  0  0  1  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, AGE 38, 2704
        TIME - 1122                    N3606U              PX-  1  0  2  AIR TAXI-PASSG            TOTAL HOURS, 86 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ENGENE IS 250,GM            INTERCOASTAL CITY,LA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
           DITCHING                                                 LANDING: POWER-OFF AUTOROTATIVE LANDING
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           POWERPLANT - MISCELLANEOUS: POWERPLANT FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS
           AIRFRAME - LANDING GEAR: FLOAT ASSEMBLIES
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - MATERIAL FAILURE
        FACTOR(S)
           TERRAIN - ROUGH WATER
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN WATER
        PARTIAL POWER LOSS - PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER - 1 ENGINE
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON WATER
        REMARKS- R FLOAT DID NOT INFLATE WHEN PLT ELECTRICALLY ARMED & ACTUATED SYS.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3606U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3606U-1995-04-03), registration cancelled 1995-04-03, S/N 1233 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSPATLE AS350D
- Registry model: [S N I A S AS350D ASTAR](https://openairdocs.org/model/s-n-i-a-s-as350d-astar) (registry code 8680803) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Engines: turbo shaft
- Damage: Destroyed

## 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 19811224003009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19811224003009A), Dec 24, 1981: Snias AS350D, Eugene Island, LA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Helicopter crashed into gulf after rotor RPM decayed and pilot could no longer maintain flight.

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.

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