Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
High Island A20
Thursday, November 28, 1996 15:33 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED 6/26/2006.
The flight Sam 71 departed High Island 446, Gulf of Mexico at 1504, with a destination of High Island 105. At 1526, the pilot reported to Galveston flight following that the 'tail [rotor] gear box chip light [had] illuminated,' and he was experiencing a 'very high vibration,' which 'settled down a little bit at a slower airspeed.' At 1527 the pilot reported heading towards a platform 3 miles to his north. At 1531 Sam 71 reported that on his first attempt to land on the platform [High Island A20], he was 'not able to control the tail rotor.' Sam 71 also reported that he would try to land one more time, and if unable he would 'continue in [Galveston].' There were no further communications with Sam 71. Examination of the tail rotor system revealed one pitch change link disconnected.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED 6/26/2006.
The failure of the tail rotor pitch change link due to a fatigue fracture, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor control and separation of the aft tailboom.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/28/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1533 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | HIGH ISLAND A20 |
| Event State | GULF OF MEXICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | -- |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Witness |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| 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 | 2000 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 45 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1673 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 28 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1745 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 18 2006 1:10PM |
| User who most recently changed record | LEMA |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6100U |
| NTSB Number | FTW97FA051 |
| 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 | Eurocopter |
| Aircraft Model | AS350B2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | AS350B2 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2863 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4961 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 15 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 98 |
| Airframe Hours | 1816 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PETROLEUM HELICOPTERS INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | LAFAYETTE |
| Aircraft Owner State | LA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 70509 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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 | HEEA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | HIGH ISLAND 446 |
| Departure State | GM |
| Departure Country | -- |
| Departure Time | 1504 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | HIGH ISLAND 105 |
| Destination State | GM |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 18 2006 1:10PM |
| User who most recently changed record | LEMA |
| 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 | -- |