Eugene Island 190 Helipad Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eugene Island
Monday, December 21, 1987 11:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER, WITH 2 PLTS & 13 PASSENGERS, WAS ON AN IFR FLT TO A PSN IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. FROM THAT PSN, THEY PROCEEDED UNDER VFR TO AN OFF-SHORE OIL DRILLING RIG (EI-190). AS THE HELICOPTER WAS ARRIVING FROM THE SE, THERE WAS A STRONG WIND FROM THE NE. THE LANDING PLATFORM (HELIPAD) WAS LOCATED ON THE NW SIDE OF THE OIL RIG. THE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE AN APCH TO THE HELIPAD BY FLYING PARALLEL TO THE UPWIND (NE) SIDE OF THE OIL RIG, RATHER THAN GOING AROUND THE DOWNWIND SIDE & APCHG THE HELIPAD BY FLYING INTO THE WIND. AFTER PROCEEDING TO AN AREA OVER THE VCNTY OF THE HELIPAD, THE PLT TURNED THE HELICOPTER TO THE RGT & ALIGNED IT IN THE DIRECTION OF THE WIND. THE HELICOPTER WAS THEN OBSERVED TO DRIFT REARWARD & TO THE RGT UNTIL THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES COLLIDED WITH THE NW LEG OF THE OIL RIG. IT THEN CRASHED ON THE OIL RIG & WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT & FIRE. AN NTSB STUDY SHOWED THE WIND WAS FROM 040 DEG AT 35 KTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/21/1987
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City EUGENE ISLAND
Event State GULF OF MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EUGENE ISLAND 190 HELIPAD
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 100
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 288
Weather Observation Facility ID EI26
Elevation of weather observation facility 100
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 35
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 15
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 15
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2245
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 21 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35885
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3596N
NTSB Number FTW88FA039
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model SA-330J
Aircraft Series Identifier SA-330J
Aircraft Serial Number 1588
Certified Max Gross Weight 16300
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 20
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 179
Airframe Hours 4201
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONNECTICUT NAT'L BANK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 777 MAIN ST.
Aircraft Owner City HARTFORD
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06115
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 HEEA
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 Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 2LA3
Departure City INTRACOASTAL
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1001
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 70
Runway Width 70
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --