# NTSB LAX93LA375: Bell 206B, N285CA, Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean), September 22, 1993

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 22, 1993, 13:25 local (20:25 UTC)
- Place: Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean)
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report September 26, 1994
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 28495
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX93LA375
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28495/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX93LA375

## Probable cause

a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power, cruise
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)
- Ditching, descent - emergency
  - terrain condition - water

## Analysis

THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS AT LONGITUDE 121 DEGREES 13 MINUTES WEST AND LATITUDE 12 DEGREES 52 MINUTES NORTH.  ACCORDING TO AN EXTRACT FROM THE SHIP'S LOG, THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED THE VESSEL ON A FISH SPOTTING MISSION AND WAS WORKING AN AREA 15 TO 20 MILES FROM THE SHIP WHILE BEING MONITORED ON THE SHIP SEARCH RADAR.  AT A POINT BEARING 305 DEGREES AND 17 MILES FROM THE SHIP, THE PILOT ADVISED THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO THE VESSEL.  SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PILOT TRANSMITTED 'WE ARE GOING DOWN...THE ENGINE HAS STOPPED.'  THE VESSEL IMMEDIATELY PROCEEDED TO THE LAST KNOWN RADAR POSITION OF THE HELICOPTER AND BEGAN A SEARCH PATTERN, WHICH WAS SUSPENDED AT DUSK.  AT 0900 HOURS ON SEPTEMBER 23RD, VARIOUS PIECES OF FIBER GLASS AND AN UNOPENED INFLATABLE RAFT WERE FOUND AND A SHORT TIME LATER, THE BODY OF THE PASSENGER WAS LOCATED.

## Factual narrative

On September 20, 1993, at 2000 hours local ship time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N285CA, crashed at sea in the Pacific Ocean 1,200 miles west of Mazatlan, Mexico, under undetermined circumstances.  The helicopter was owned by Crescent Airways, Inc., of West Hollywood, Florida, and was leased to Supremas Bel Golso of Mexico for fish spotting operations from a tuna vessel.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.  The aircraft was destroyed in the accident sequence and sank.  The certificated commercial pilot and a fish spotter passenger on board sustained fatal injuries.  The flight originated from a tuna vessel near the accident site at an undetermined time on the day of the mishap.  The accident occurred in international waters at longitude 121 degrees 13 minutes west and latitude 12 degrees 52 minutes north.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N285CA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N285CA-2013-06-06), registration cancelled 2013-06-06, S/N 1678, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Allison 250-C20 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (registry code 03020, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 1678
- Airframe hours: 11713
- Engines: ALLISON 250 C20B 420 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: Unknown
- Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91
- Operator: Crescent Airways, Ltd.
- Registered owner: Crescent Airways, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 32; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 2,000 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 82 °F

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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