Matagorda Island Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Matagorda Islng, Louisiana
Thursday, July 11, 1985 17:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD DURING AN ATTEMPTED AUTOROTATION TO AN ABANDONED AIR BASE. INITIAL TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED ON THE STINGER AND THE ACFT YAWED TO THE LEFT OF RWY HEADING 30 TO 40 DEGREES. THE NEXT TOUCHDOWN WAS ON THE SKIDS AND THE ACFT YAWED FURTHER TO THE LEFT TO APRX 45 DEGREES. FOLLOWING THIS, THE ACFT ROLLED OVER. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT COULD BE FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/11/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MATAGORDA ISLNG
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MATAGORDA ISLAND
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 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID VCT
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2861
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 11 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30912
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3594N
NTSB Number FTW85FA282
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS-350D
Aircraft Series Identifier AS-350D
Aircraft Serial Number 1093
Certified Max Gross Weight 4190
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jun 22 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 176
Airframe Hours 3996
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
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 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 --
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City MATAGORDA 623
Departure State GM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1721
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City PORT OCONNER
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --