Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pacific Ocean
Tuesady, September 17, 1985 12:04 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF PWR WITHIN 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A FISHING VESSEL. THE HELICOPTER WAS DITCHED IN THE OCEAN AT COORDINATES 11.25'N AND 103.37'W. EXAMINATION OF FUEL SAMPLES FROM THE FISHING VESSEL REVEALED BOTH UPPER AND LOWER FUEL FILTERS WERE HEAVILY CONTAMINATED WITH WATER AND OTHER FOREIGN MATERIAL. ROUGH SEAS WERE REPORTED FOR THE PREVIOUS THREE DAYS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1204
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PACIFIC OCEAN
Event State PACIFIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1985
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1827
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 2 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29208
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 N2160L
NTSB Number LAX85LA407
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 2182
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 20 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 2024
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTH SEAS HELICOPTER CO. INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1 EAST FIRST STREET
Aircraft Owner City RENO
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CARIBBEAN MARINA SERV. INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2120 SAN DIEGO AV SUITE 200
Operator City SAN DIEGO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92110
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City FISHING VESSEL
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1154
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --