Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Isle
Wednesday, February 26, 1992 6:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN APPROACH TO A HELIDECK THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS AND SUBSEQUENTLY MADE A SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION. DUE TO HIGH SEA STATE THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAINTAIN IDLE POWER IN ORDER TO AVOID TAIL BOOM CONTACT WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE WHILE AWAITING RESCUE. WIND WAS FROM 300 DEGREES AT 18 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 30. WAVE ACTION DAMAGED THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WHICH THEN CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM. AT THAT POINT ALL OCCUPANTS BOARDED A LIFE RAFT. AN ENGINE TEST RUN WAS SUCCESSFUL. THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS WAS UNDETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

HEAVY SEA STATE DUE TO THE HIGH WINDS. A FACTOR WAS THE POWER LOSS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 640
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City GRAND ISLE
Event State GULF OF MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 271
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46390
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:44PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2750F
NTSB Number FTW92LA075
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B III
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B III
Aircraft Serial Number 2674
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 7 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 12372
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHEVRON USA INCORPORATED
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 26845
Aircraft Owner City NEW ORLEANS
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70186
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHEVRON USA INCORPORATED
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 26845
Operator City NEW ORLEANS
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70186
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LEV
Departure City LEEVILLE
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 630
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 10:34AM
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 --