Scholes Fld Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Galveston, Texas 77554
Tuesady, July 11, 1989 14:52 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AN AEROSPATIALE AS-350-D, N3595B, WAS IN CRUISE FLT & WAS TRANSITING THRU THE EDGE OF A CONTROL ZONE (NO TWR OPERG) AT 1200 FT MSL FROM SW TO NE, AFTER THE PLT HAD COMMUNICATED HIS POSITION/DIRECTION OF FLT ON UNICOM FREQ. ALSO, THE PLT OF BELL 206L-1, N1082H, HAD COMMUNICATED HIS DEPARTURE DIRECTION FROM THE COASTAL ARPT, AS HE WAS CLIMBING TO HIS CRUISE ALTITUDE ON A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO HELICOPTERS CONVERGED & A MIDAIR COLLISION OCCURRED APRX 1.5 MI FROM THE COASTLINE OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO. BOTH HELICOPTERS DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED INTO THE GULF WATERS. THE AEROSPATIALE PILOT'S VISION WAS RESTRICTED DOWNWARD & LEFT BY THE COCKPIT CONSOLE. THE BELL PILOT'S VISION WAS RESTRICTED UPWARD & TO THE RIGHT BY THE DOOR FRAME. THE ANGLE BETWEEN THE FLT PATHS WAS ABOUT 105 DEGS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE OTHER AIRCRAFT (INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/11/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1452
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GALVESTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77554
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SCHOLES FLD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GLS
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 1450 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 345
Weather Observation Facility ID GLS
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2367
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 11 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1740
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43007
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N3595B N1082H
NTSB Number FTW89FA133A FTW89FA133B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE BELL
Aircraft Model AS-350-D 206L-1
Aircraft Series Identifier AS-350-D 206L-1
Aircraft Serial Number 1072 45403
Certified Max Gross Weight 4300 4050
Aircraft Category Helicopter Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6 7
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jun 9 1989 12:00AM Jun 29 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58 40
Airframe Hours 6874 8941
ELT Installed No Yes
ELT Activated Unknown No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
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 OFFSHORE LOGISTICS
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 90808 P.O. BOX 5-C
Operator City LAFAYETTE LAFAYETTE
Operator State LA LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70509 70505
Operator Code PHM
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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) Business Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code NONE GLS
Departure City MT 606 GALVESTON
Departure State GM TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1410 1450
Departure Time Zone CDT CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code SBI NONE
Destination City SABINE PASS HI 582
Destination State TX GM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise Climb
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --