- Date
- March 1, 1994, 08:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean)
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4712RBell 206A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 28716
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
undetermined.
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
According to a report from the operator, the helicopter had completed the assigned fish spotting mission and was returning to the ship when it disappeared from the ship's radar, about 3 miles short of the vessel. There were no known distress calls prior to the disappearance. A search of the area around the last known position of the helicopter revealed parts of an emergency float system known to have been installed on the helicopter, and the bodies of the pilot and spotter. No trace of additional aircraft components were found. The pilot was a Panamanian citizen who reportedly held a pilot certificate issued by the Republic of Panama. The fish spotter was a Mexican national who has not been identified.
Factual narrative
On March 1, 1994, about 0830 hours Pacific standard time, a Bell 206A helicopter, N4712R, disappeared at sea under unknown circumstances in international waters at north latitude 17 degrees 56 minutes by west longitude 109 degrees 46 minutes. The helicopter, operated by L & M Offshore Corporation of Paitilla, Republic of Panama, was engaged in fish spotting operations from the Mexico registered tuna vessel, "El Quijote." Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a flight plan was filed with the ship. The helicopter is presumed to have been destroyed in the accident sequence. Both the pilot and the spotter on board the helicopter sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from the ship on the day of the mishap at about 0730 hours as a local fish spotting mission.
According to a report from the operator, the helicopter had completed the assigned spotting mission and was returning to the ship when it disappeared from the ship's radar about 3 miles short of the vessel. There were no known distress calls prior to the disappearance. A search of the area around the last known position of the helicopter revealed parts of an emergency float system known to have been installed on the helicopter, and the bodies of the pilot and spotter. No trace of additional aircraft components were found.
The pilot was a Panamanian citizen who reportedly held a pilot certificate issued by the Republic of Panama. The fish spotter was a Mexican national who has not been identified.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4712R
- Reported as
- Bell 206A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 240
- Airframe hours
- 10,717
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- L & M Offshore Corporation
- Registered owner
- Xanadu Brands
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE · Ship El Quijote
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 33
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial, Foreign
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 600 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None