- Date
- September 19, 1986, 13:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place
- Eugene Island
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor; on the ground: 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N16978Bell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860919045589A
- Case key
- 22093
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
Commercial helicopter pilot engaged in off-shore flight operations failed to remove aircraft tie-down lines prior to take off from the oil rig. Pilot lost control of aircraft in a hover causing the aircraft to collide with a metal safety net and, subsequently, the boom of a crane. Tail section of aircraft separated and lodged in crane boom. Aircraft impacted the water inverted and sank. Aircraft was not recovered. Pilot suffered minor injuries. However, one company employee located in near-by bunkhouse suffered serious injuries to both legs.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N16978
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2378
- Airframe hours
- 9,852
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 370 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 27, 1985 · 57 hours before
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,983 total · 2,943 in this make and model · 2,983 as pilot in command · 109 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 79 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HUM, 95 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.