- Date
- July 26, 1992, 11:13 local (16:13 UTC)
- Place
- Block 651a
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2072BBell 206B3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920726027369A
- Case key
- 18366
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 pilot's failure to maintain the proper glidepath during the approach which led to an excessive nose high attitude during the landing flare.
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
A helicopter was executing an approach to a platform in the gulf of Mexico to pick up two passengers. A nose high flare was observed by the awaiting passengers and the tail rotor blades struck the fence guard around the helideck. Control was lost as the tail rotor assembly and gear box separated from the tailboom. The helicopter spun off the helideck falling to the ocean below.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2072B
- Reported as
- Bell 206B3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3450
- Airframe hours
- 7,910
- Engine
- Allison 250C-20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Industrial Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Industrial Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 10, 1992 · 34 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Block 672a, GM
- Destination
- NONE
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- NONE · Block 651-A
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 16,431 total · 6,430 in this make and model · 106 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PSX, 44 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.