Block 215 Helipad Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

East Cameron
Thursday, October 24, 1985 10:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THREE PAX RPRTD THAT JUST PRIOR TO REACHING THE HELIPAD, THE HELICOPTER'S FORWARD MOVEMENT STOPPED AND THE HELICOPTER WOBBLED OR YAWED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE PAX'S RPRTED THAT THE PILOT APPEARED TO BE TRYING TO GAIN ALTITUDE AND GO FORWARD WHEN THEY HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE HELICOPTER THEN DROPPED IN A TAIL LOW ATTITUDE AND CRASHED INTO PRESSURIZED NATURAL GAS COMPONENTS. ESCAPING GAS IGNITED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INTENSE FIRE. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT TWO BLADES ON THE L ENG'S GAS PRODUCER TURBINE WHEEL HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE AND LODGED AGAINST THE PWR TURBINE NOZZLE VANES. AN INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT PWR TO SUSTAIN FLT WITH THIS FAILURE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THEENGINE HAD LOST POWER AT A CRITICAL POINT DURING THE APCH AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MANUEVER THE HELICOPTER ONTO THE HELIPAD. HOWEVER, THE TOE OF THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE TUBULAR FRAME OF A HOTHE RGT SKID CONTACTED THE TUBULAR FRAME OF A HORIZONTAL SAFETY FENCE (AROUND THE HELIPAD). SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FENCE WAS BENT INWARD AND DOWNWARD BY THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/24/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City EAST CAMERON
Event State GULF OF MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BLOCK 215 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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 950
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LCH
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 135
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 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 7
Injury Total All 9
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2776
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 24 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30538
Date of most recent change to record Dec 14 2000 1:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3194M
NTSB Number FTW86MA018
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 222UT
Aircraft Series Identifier 222UT
Aircraft Serial Number 47538
Certified Max Gross Weight 8250
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 9
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Oct 22 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 123
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PUMPKIN AIR
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 1110
Aircraft Owner City ADDISON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75001
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 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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 2LA1
Departure City INTRACOASTL CTY
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 925
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 10:36AM
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 --