- Date
- October 29, 1993, 16:35 local (21:35 UTC)
- Place
- Gulf Of Mexico
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5370VBell 206L-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 1, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931029041169A
- Case key
- 18962
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 in command's inadequate preflight inspection in that he failed to remove a tie down rope. A factor was the pilot's self-induced pressure.
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
Due to the high wind, the helicopter was tied down on the oil rig's helideck with four ropes. During preparations for takeoff, the left front tie down rope was inadvertently left fastened because of the high wind conditions and time constraints. The pilot lifted the helicopter off the deck and made a left turn into the wind. He felt a slight tug, but thought it was due to the turbulence. At a height of about two or three feet, the nose pitched abruptly down and the pilot felt 'two quick mast bumps.' His corrective control input and the helicopter's attitude caused the main rotor blades to contact the tailboom, severing the 90 degree gear box. The helicopter then spun 180 degrees to the right and impacted the helideck on its left side. The pilot indicated that he was influenced by the 'pressures of weather and mission completion.'
Factual narrative
On October 29, 1993, approximately 1635 central daylight time, a Bell 206L-3, N5370V, impacted the South Pass 49B helideck, located in the Mississippi Canyon 63 block, Gulf of Mexico, during takeoff. The pilot was not injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company VFR flight plan had been filed.
The following is based on the Pilot/Operator accident report. Due to the high wind, the helicopter was tied down on the oil rig's helideck with four ropes. During preparations for takeoff, the left front tie down rope was inadvertently left fastened because of the high wind conditions and time constraints. The pilot lifted the helicopter off the deck and made a left turn into the wind. He felt a slight tug, but thought it was due to the turbulence. At a height of about two or three feet, the nose pitched abruptly down and the pilot felt "two quick mast bumps." His corrective control input and the helicopter's attitude caused the main rotor blades to contact the tailboom, severing the 90 degree gear box. The helicopter then spun 180 degrees to the right and impacted the helideck on its left side.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5370V
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 51254
- Airframe hours
- 4,857
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30P, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Chevron U.S.A., Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · September 26, 1993 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · GM
- Destination
- 8LA5 · Venice, LA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 12,830 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 12,090 as pilot in command · 166 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 30 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 68 °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.