Houma-Terrebonne Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houma, Louisiana 70363
Tuesady, February 19, 1985 1:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCREW HAD JUST COMPLETED A MEDIVAC FLT & WERE REPOSITIONING THE HELICOPTER TO THE HOME BASE. WHILE THEY WERE EN ROUTE, THE COMPANY DISPATCHER INFORMED THE CREW THAT FOG WAS MOVING INTO THE AREA & THAT THEY HAD BETTER HURRY. DURING THE NIGHT APCH, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, ABOUT 300 WEST OF THE THRESHOLD TO RWY 18. THE CREW STATED THAT THE LAST THING THEY REMEMBER WAS BEING AT 250 FT AGL WHILE ATTEMPTING A VFR APCH. ONE PLT WAS MONITORING THE INSTRUMENTS WHILE THE OTHER WAS ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN THE RWY ENVIRONMENT. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED & THE PLTS WERE QUALIFIED TO MAKE AN INSTRUMENT APCH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/19/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 130
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HOUMA
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70363
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HOUMA-TERREBONNE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HLM
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 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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 413
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 19 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27695
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N31223
NTSB Number FTW85LA119
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SIKORSKY
Aircraft Model S-76A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-76A
Aircraft Serial Number 760257
Certified Max Gross Weight 10000
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 54
Airframe Hours 1554
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PUMPKIN AIR
Aircraft Owner Street Address STA. 1, BOX 10171
Aircraft Owner City HOUMA
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70363
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City ABBEVILLE
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --