- Date
- January 3, 1989, 12:50 local (18:50 UTC)
- Place
- S.Timbalier 151
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N22704Bell 206B-III
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890103000149A
- Case key
- 22825
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A collision between the aircraft and the platform during the emergency autorotation which caused the left skid and float to separate and destabilized the autorotation. The collision was probably unadoidable due to the maneuver that was being conducted at the onset of the emergency. The emergency landing was attempted following an engine failure that was the result of a total compressor failure. The compressor failure was caused by a fatigue failure of the sixth stage wheel which separated. The failure was initiated due to a casting inclusion in the wheel which was not detected during the manufacturing process.
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 acft experienced an eng failure during a sling load pick up on an offshore platform. During the autorotation, the left skid and float struck a handrail on the rig and separated. The acft impacted the water, nose low, and rolled over as a result of the separated float. Investigation revealed that the eng failure was a result of a 6th stage compressor wheel fatigue failure. The wheel fatigue originated at a casting inclusion that had not been detected during the manufacturing process.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N22704
- Reported as
- Bell 206B-III
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3614
- Airframe hours
- 8,213
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 133
- Registered owner
- Petroleum Helicopters, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- AAIP · December 18, 1988 · 45 hours before
- Departed
- S.T. 151
- Destination
- S.T. 151
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- 151 · S. Tim 151
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,522 total · 1,431 in this make and model · 3,143 as pilot in command · 134 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- 300, 15 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.