- Date
- January 9, 1989, 13:13 local (19:13 UTC)
- Place
- S. Timbalier 75 (Gulf of Mexico)
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N27555Bell 206L-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890109000329A
- Case key
- 22826
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
The loss of control of the helicopter due to an undetermined failure of the tail rotor control system.
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.
Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Rotorcraft flight control,tail rotor control - failure,totalCause
Rotorcraft flight control,tail rotor control - undeterminedCause
Loss of control - in flight
In flight collision with object
Object - building(nonresidential)
Aircraft
- Registration
- N27555
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 45250
- Airframe hours
- 10,216
- Engine
- Allison 250-C28B, 500 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Air Logistics
- Registered owner
- Wells Forgo Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- AAIP · December 20, 1988 · 92 hours before
- Departed
- Ship Shoal 114, GM
- Destination
- S. T. 161, GM
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- ST75 · S.T. 75
N27555Registration cancelled Nov 4, 2013 · Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1Airframe modelBell Helicopter Textron 206L-1
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
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,520 total · 205 in this make and model · 1,440 as pilot in command · 158 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.