# NTSB MIA04LA132: Bell 206L, N34CA, Gulf of Mexico, September 29, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 29, 2004, 06:15 local (11:15 UTC) - Place: Gulf of Mexico - Coordinates: 29.166666, -88.449996 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1667&lon=-88.4500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 7, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Jackson FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 60248 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA04LA132 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60248/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA04LA132 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons while on short final to land on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, which resulted in the pilot ditching the helicopter into the water. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - autorotation - initiated, pilot in command - Ditching, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - water ## Analysis The pilot stated that while on approach, within about 300 to 400 yards of the oil platform, as he increased collective input to control the rate of descent, the engine failed to respond normally. As collective input was increased he said the rpms decreased and did not recover, so he stopped applying collective to stop the rotor rpms from decreasing below 90 percent. According to the pilot, no other adverse indications were observed, and the rate of descent increased. He said he applied the remaining collective pitch input to arrest the rate of descent just prior to impacting the water. After impact he said he tried 2 times to inflate the floats, but both attempts were unsuccessful. He and both passengers exited the helicopter, and it sank in about 600 feet of water, and was not recovered. ## Factual narrative On September 29, 2004, about 0615 central daylight time, a Bell 206L helicopter, N34CA, registered to and operated by Panther Helicopters Inc., as a Title 14 CFR part 135 on demand air taxi flight, ditched into the Gulf of Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The airline transport-rated pilot and two passengers were not injured, and the helicopter sank in the Gulf of Mexico, and was not recovered. The flight originated in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, the same day, about 0508. The pilot stated that the hour-long flight from Belle Chasse, Louisiana, to Viosca Knoll oil platform No. VK817, had initially been uneventful. He further stated that at a distance of approximately 2 miles from the platform, he started a descent from his cruising altitude of 1,000 feet. During the final approach, when within about 300 to 400 yards, he said he increased collective input to control the rate of descent, but the engine failed to respond normally. As collective input was increased, he said the rpms decreased and did not recover. He said he stopped applying collective to prevent the rpms from decreasing below 90 percent, and further stated that he noted no other adverse indications. He said the rate of descent increased, and he applied the remaining collective pitch input to arrest the rate of descent, just prior to impacting the water. The helicopter impacted the water with "normal forces", and the pilot said he tried twice to inflate the floats, but both attempts were unsuccessful. During the ditching, the helicopter had impacted the surface of the water with a slight movement to the left front, and the main rotor on the left side impacted the water. The pilot said that he and both passengers exited the helicopter, and it sank in about 600 feet of water. Personnel from a nearby boat recovered the pilot and passengers from the Gulf of Mexico, and transported them to the oil platform. The passenger who was seated in the front left seat, said that when the helicopter was about 300 yards from the platform, it "started going down" and attempts by the pilot to "lift" the helicopter were unsuccessful. He further stated that he did not notice anything unusual with the helicopter during the flight, until it was located within 300 yards of the platform, when heard no sounds associated with the main rotor blades impacting the water. He said the pilot tried three separate times to deploy the floats, but all attempts were unsuccessful. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N34CA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N34CA-2006-04-18), registration cancelled 2006-04-18, S/N 45089, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206L - Registry model: [Bell 206L](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206l) (registry code 1181522) (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: 45089 - Airframe hours: 20514.2 - Engines: Rolls-Royce 250-C20 SER 450 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Panther Helicopters Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 21, 2004, 44.8 hours before - Departed: 06LA, Belle Chasse, LA - Destination: Gulf of Mexico - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review February 9, 2004; seat: rear; toxicology performed; flight hours: 24,310 total, 7,000 in this make and model, 23,520 as pilot in command, 250 in the last 90 days, 95 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: BVE, 59 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040929022539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040929022539A), Sep 29, 2004: Bell 206L, Belle Chasse, LA, Destroyed. (-23) The pilot pulled collective to slow helicopter, power decreased. Pilot looked at the gauges and noticed N2 and nr fell to 90%. Pilot ditched helicopter… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.