Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Venice, Louisiana 70091
Tuesady, May 2, 1995 6:53 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING FINAL APPROACH TO AN OFFSHORE OIL PLATFORM, THE HELICOPTER FLEW INTO THE EXHAUST GASES OF A FLARE BOOM WHICH WAS BURNING EXCESS GAS. WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER TO ARREST HIS DESCENT AND BRING THE HELICOPTER TO A HOVER FOR LANDING, HE GOT NO ENGINE RESPONSE. THE HELICOPTER SETTLED AND COLLIDED WITH THE EDGE OF THE PLATFORM AND DESCENDED IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE INTO THE WATER ADJACENT TO THE PLATFORM. THE PILOT AND FRONT SEAT PASSENGER EXITED THE HELICOPTER UNAIDED AND WERE PICKED UP BY A BOAT IN THE VICINITY. THE REAR SEAT PASSENGER DID NOT GET OUT OF THE HELICOPTER AND DROWNED. THE PILOT SAID HE GOT A LOW ROTOR WARNING JUST BEFORE THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE PLATFORM, BUT DID NOT GET AN ENGINE WARNING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO INGESTION OF EXHAUST FUMES FROM AN OIL PLATFORM FLARE BOOM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/2/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 653
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City VENICE
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70091
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 775
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 2 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1020
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N347AL
NTSB Number FTW95FA186
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206L-3
Aircraft Series Identifier 206L-3
Aircraft Serial Number 51381
Certified Max Gross Weight 4150
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Apr 6 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 86
Airframe Hours 4888
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR LOGISTICS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 46095 INDUSTRIAL DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City NEW IBERIA
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70560
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code ALGA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 45LA
Departure City
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 633
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City PLATFORM 86C
Destination State LA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --