Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cameron, Louisiana 70631
Friday, December 3, 1993 17:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN APPROACH TO A HELIPORT, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE 300 YARDS SHORT OF ITS INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT. FOLLOWING THE GROUND IMPACT THE HELICOPTER WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. WEATHER AT THE TIME INCLUDED GROUND FOG AND HAZE. THE COPILOT WAS FLYING THE APPROACH. DUE TO FOG AND HAZE, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH LIGHTS AT THE LANDING SITE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE COPILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE CAPTAIN'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION. THE HAZE AND FOG WERE FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/3/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CAMERON
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70631
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 12
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 2350 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID LCH
Elevation of weather observation facility 15
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 215
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 4
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1074
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 3 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N356EH
NTSB Number FTW94LA043
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 412
Aircraft Series Identifier 412
Aircraft Serial Number 33072
Certified Max Gross Weight 11500
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 15
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Dec 2 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 7214
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ERA AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6160 SOUTH AIRPARK DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99502
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 6550
Operator City LAKE CHARLES
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70606
Operator Code A075
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City SOUTH MARSH 147
Departure State GM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1651
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --