- Date
- October 17, 1985, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Charenton, LA
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5013HBell 222A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19851017054319A
- Case key
- 21875
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.
Analysis
The helicopter had just completed a phase two check, twenty minutes into the flight the occupants heard a loud noise and a severe one-to-one vibration ensued. A successful emergency landing was performed. Examination revealed that one swash plate drive link had disconnected. The mechanic stated he had forgotten to torque and safety a retaining nut.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5013H
- Reported as
- Bell 222A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 47010
- Airframe hours
- 2,894
- Engine
- Lycoming LTS 101-650C2, 620 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Petroleum Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- AAIP · October 15, 1985 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- PHI · Lafayette, LA
- Destination
- 7R3 · Morgan City, LA
- 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
- 34
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 6,194 total · 1,618 in this make and model · 4,257 as pilot in command · 116 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- 7R3, 12 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.