- Date
- October 14, 1996, 07:20 local (12:20 UTC)
- Place
- Venice, LA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N21497Bell 206L-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report May 23, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961014031959A
- Case key
- 20091
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
a loss of engine power due to frogs being ingested into the engine as a result of the pilots failure to perform a thorough preflight, and the pilot's improper touchdown technique.
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
During takeoff, approximately 50 feet AGL, the pilot heard a 'big pop and the helicopter was shaky and noisy.' He initiated a deceleration due to the wires in front of the helicopter. During the landing, 'a main rotor blade flexed down and severed the tailboom.' Throughout the forced landing the pilot had tail rotor pedal control. An examination of the engine by the operator revealed that frogs had been ingested.
Factual narrative
On October 14, 1996, at 0720 central daylight time, a Bell 206L-3 helicopter, N21497, owned and operated by Petroleum Helicopters, Inc., was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing near Venice, Louisiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 135 air taxi flight. The commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. A company flight plan was filed. The flight was originating from the Shell Heliport at the time of the accident.
According to the pilot, the helicopter was approximately 50 feet AGL during takeoff when he heard a "big pop and the helicopter was shaky and noisy." He initiated a "deceleration to land "due to the wires in front of the helicopter. During the landing, a 2-foot section of the tailboom which included the vertical fin and tail rotor gearbox, separated from the tailboom. Throughout the forced landing he had tail rotor pedal control.
The passengers reported that on takeoff they heard a noise like a "backfire," and then the helicopter began to shake.
According to the operator, the damage to the helicopter resulted when "a main rotor blade flexed down and severed the tailboom." An examination of the engine by the operator revealed that frogs had been ingested.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N21497
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 51518
- Airframe hours
- 5,862
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30P, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Petroleum Helicopters, Inc
- Registered owner
- Banc One Texas Leasing Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · October 11, 1996 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- South Pass 65c, GM
- Airport
- NONE · Shell Heliport
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 13,967 total · 10,807 in this make and model · 198 in the last 90 days · 63 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 66 °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.