Block 651-A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Block 651A
Sunday, July 26, 1992 11:13 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A HELICOPTER WAS EXECUTING AN APPROACH TO A PLATFORM IN THE GULF OF MEXICO TO PICK UP TWO PASSENGERS. A NOSE HIGH FLARE WAS OBSERVED BY THE AWAITING PASSENGERS AND THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE FENCE GUARD AROUND THE HELIDECK. CONTROL WAS LOST AS THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY AND GEAR BOX SEPARATED FROM THE TAILBOOM. THE HELICOPTER SPUN OFF THE HELIDECK FALLING TO THE OCEAN BELOW.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH DURING THE APPROACH WHICH LED TO AN EXCESSIVE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE DURING THE LANDING FLARE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1113
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BLOCK 651A
Event State GULF OF MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BLOCK 651-A
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 78
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1100 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 355
Weather Observation Facility ID PSX
Elevation of weather observation facility 15
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 44
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2444
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 26 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47156
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2072B
NTSB Number FTW92FA189
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 206B3
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B3
Aircraft Serial Number 3450
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 Jul 10 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 7910
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INDUSTRIAL HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 90210
Aircraft Owner City LAFAYETTE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70509
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name INDUSTRIAL HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code IIFA
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City BLOCK 672A
Departure State GM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1105
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --