- Date
- March 20, 1995, 17:30 local (Mar 21, 1995, 03:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean)
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2223PBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950321005789A
- Case key
- 29062
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 loss of tail rotor control for undetermined reasons.
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
The helicopter was operating from a fishing vessel for fish spotting missions. The pilot said the helicopter had a tail rotor problem during takeoff from the ship. The pilot reduced the throttle and collective to control the yaw. The helicopter's main rotor blade struck the ship. The helicopter then landed hard on the water and sank. The wreckage was not recovered and the nature of the tail rotor problem could not be determined.
Factual narrative
On March 20, 1995, at 1730 hours Hawaii standard time, a Bell Helicopter 206B, N2223P, collided with the surface of the Pacific Ocean during takeoff from the fishing vessel WESTERN PACIFIC. The certificated commercial pilot received minor injuries. The sole passenger received serious injuries. The helicopter was destroyed as a result of sinking in salt water. The helicopter was being operated as a fish-spotting flight by Western Pacific Fisheries, Inc., Las Vegas, Nevada, under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
According to the pilot, the helicopter had a tail rotor problem during takeoff from the fishing vessel. The pilot reduced the throttle and collective to control the yaw. The helicopter's main rotor blade struck the ship. The helicopter then landed hard on the water and sank. Both occupants were able to egress from the helicopter unaided and were picked up by a speedboat from the fishing vessel.
The accident location was 154 degrees, 11 minutes east longitude and 8 degrees, 30 minutes south latitude. The location is approximately 3,340 miles southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii.
Both occupants were transported by the ship to Honiara, Solomon Islands, and then flew to Brisbane, Australia, for medical treatment. According to the operator, the helicopter passenger, who was also the fishing vessel's captain, complained of back injuries. He was treated for the broken ribs in Australia, and was admitted to the hospital for 2 days.
The helicopter wreckage was not recovered and the nature of the tail rotor problem could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2223P
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3550
- Airframe hours
- 6,647
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Western Pacific Fisheries, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · December 29, 1994 · 68 hours before
- 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
- 53
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 7,000 total · 640 in this make and model · 7,000 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.