- Date
- April 23, 1991, 07:45 local (12:45 UTC)
- Place
- So. Marsh 275
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N213ALBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910423015959A
- Case key
- 23255
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 inflight structural failure and separation of the vertical fin which led to a loss of control and mast bumping. The failure of the fin was due to inadequate corrosion control efforts by the operator.
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 pilot did not make the required 15 minute radio check after departure from an offshore rig and a radio and air search was initiated. About two hours later, debris was found floating about three miles from the departure point. Recovered debris indicated that the aircraft had experienced an inflight separation of the vertical fin and subsequent mast bumping. Metallurgical examination of the vertical fin attachment fittings revealed that they had separated due to fatigue induced by corrosion and corrosion pitting. The examination also revealed that the operator had unsuccessfully attempted to combat the corrosion during a refurbishment of the airframe. All of the fatigue fractures appeared old and one had paint in the fracture.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N213AL
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1066
- Airframe hours
- 11,375
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Offshore Logistics, Inc., doing business as Air Logistics
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · March 2, 1991 · 74 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · S. Marsh 261, GM
- Destination
- NONE · Ewing Banks 947, GM
- 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
- 43
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,971 total · 265 in this make and model · 1,883 as pilot in command · 81 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.