Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Venice, Louisiana 70091
Thursday, April 9, 1992 12:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A HELICOPTER PILOT WITH 4 PASSENGERS ABOARD WAS EN ROUTE TO AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM WHEN HE BECAME ILL. WHILE DESCENDING TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON THE WATER, HE LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AND LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. FOOD POISONING WAS CAUSED BY HIS INGESTION OF SOME DAY OLD FISH HE HAD PREPARED THE PREVIOUS NIGHT FOR DINNER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INCAPACITATION DUE TO FOOD POISONING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1235
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City VENICE
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70091
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 4
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1237 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID 7R1
Elevation of weather observation facility 4
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 500
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 2
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2007
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46655
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6610L
NTSB Number FTW92FA112
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 51423
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 Mar 22 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 1556
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PETROLEUM HELICOPTERS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O BOX 90808
Aircraft Owner City LAFAYETTE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70509
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PETROLEUM HELICOPTERS INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O BOX 90808
Operator City LAFAYETTE
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70509
Operator Code HEEA
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1229
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City MAIN PASS 306
Destination State GM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --