Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Cameron 28
Thursday, September 1, 1988 9:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT LANDED THE HEICOPTER ON A DRILLING PLATFORM AND INSTRUCTED THE MECHANIC TO INSTALL ONLY THE FORWARD TIE-DOWNS. THE MECHANIC SECURED THE FORWARD AND AFT TIE-DOWNS AND SECURED THE FORWARD ROTOR BLADES. WHEN THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE HELICOPTER, HE REMOVED THE ROTOR BLADE TIE-DOWN AND THE FORWARD TIE-DOWNS, BUT NOT THE AFT TIE-DOWNS. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE HELICOPTER BECAME AIRBORNE IN A NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE, SETTLED BACK ON THE SAFETY FENCE AND SLID BACKWARD INTO THE WATER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 950
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WEST CAMERON 28
Event State GULF OF MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 9
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 On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1000
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID V245
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 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 846
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 1 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1415
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36762
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5747Z
NTSB Number FTW88LA158
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 3127
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Aug 27 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 10622
ELT Installed No
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
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City WEST CAMERON280
Departure State GM
Departure Country
Departure Time 950
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --