- Date
- April 4, 1984, 18:10 local (Apr 5, 1984, 00:10 UTC)
- Place
- W Cameron 540
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5791ZAerospatiale AS 355F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- Case key
- 21111
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
In flight collision with object
Clearance - not maintainedCause
Object - airport facilityFactor
Loss of control - in flight
In flight collision with terrain/water
Terrain condition - water,rough
Analysis
While the plt was taking off from an unmanned rig, the tail section of the helicopter contacted a rotating beacon support bracket on top of a crane structure. The crane structure was located below the elevation of the landing pad. The helicopter then crashed into the surrounding water.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5791Z
- Reported as
- Aerospatiale AS 355F
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20F, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Petroleum Helicopters Inc
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
N5791ZRegistration cancelled Nov 30, 1988 · Aerospatiale AS 355 F ECUREUILAirframe modelAerospatiale AS 355 F ECUREUIL
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,207 total · 1,326 in this make and model · 6,774 as pilot in command · 187 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- 5RO, 17 nm away