- Date
- March 12, 1996, 08:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Houma, LA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N115FHBell 206BIII
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960312003909A
- Case key
- 19783
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 attempted maneuver which exceeded the dynamic capability of the helicopter.
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
While supporting a seismic geophysical operation, the helicopter, equipped with a 100-foot long line, was attempting to tow a support boat which was stuck in the mud. The helicopter hovered in a left sidewards direction, in an attempt to dislodge the boat from the mud. Control was lost and the helicopter impacted the ground.
Factual narrative
On March 12, 1996, at 0815 central standard time, a Bell BH-206BIII, N115FH, registered to Evergreen Equity Inc., and operated by Evergreen Helicopters International under Title 14 CFR Part 133, was substantially damaged during external load operations near Houma, Louisiana. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local external load carrying flight that departed Houma at 0800. A flight plan was not filed for the flight.
According to the FAA inspector, the aircraft was assigned to support a seismic geophysical operation. At the time of the accident, the helicopter was attempting to tow (with a 100 foot long line) a support boat which had become mired in mud. While hovering out of ground effect in a left sidewards direction in an attempt to dislodge the boat from the mud, the pilot lost control of the helicopter. The pilot reported that he had no recall of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N115FH
- Reported as
- Bell 206BIII
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2737
- Airframe hours
- 8,197
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 450 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 133
- Operator
- Evergreen Helicopters Int'L, doing business as Evergreen Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Evergreen Equity, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 9, 1996 · 18 hours before
- Departed
- HUM · LA
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,700 total · 800 in this make and model · 3,200 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 65 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HUM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.