Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

So. Pass Blk 70
Saturday, January 19, 1991 13:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED ON A REVENUE FLIGHT FROM ONE OFFSHORE PLATFORM TO ANOTHER. THERE WERE NO RADIO CALLS TO INDICATE THAT THE FLIGHT HAD ENCOUNTERED DIFFICULTIES. AN AIR SEARCH FOUND TWO OF THE THREE BODIES AND ASSORTED PIECES OF WRECKAGE ABOUT TWO MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE PLATFORM. NONE OF THE DRIVE TRAIN OR THE INSTRUMENTATION WAS RECOVERED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD IMPACTED THE WATER AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED IN AN UNCONTROLLED ATTITUDE. HOWEVER, THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF RECOVERED WRECKAGE PRECLUDED A DEFINITE DETERMINATION AS TO THE NATURE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WEATHER WAS CHARACTERIZED BY INDEFINITE 200 TO 400 FOOT CEILINGS, OBSCURED SKIES, AND 1 TO 1.5 MILES VISIBILITY IN LIGHT RAIN AND FOG WITH A TWO DEGREE TEMP/DEW POINT SPREAD. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT HAD RELATED TO THE CREW CHIEF THAT IF THE WEATHER BECAME TOO BAD HE WOULD TURN AROUND AND RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE PLATFORM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE RESTRICTIONS TO VISIBILITY THAT EXISTED AT THE TIME.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/19/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SO. PASS BLK 70
Event State GULF OF MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 1
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 431
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43718
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:12AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2269V
NTSB Number FTW91FA031
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 B 206B III
Aircraft Series Identifier B 206B III
Aircraft Serial Number 3609
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Sep 22 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 245
Airframe Hours 7993
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PETROLEUM HELICOPTERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 90808
Operator City LAFAYETTE
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70509
Operator Code PHM
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 1337
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City MISS CANYON 194
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 10:35AM
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 --