Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gilchrist, Texas 77655
Friday, December 29, 2000 7:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a repositioning flight conducted in visual meteorological conditions, the helicopter disappeared over the Gulf of Mexico. No distress calls from the pilot were received. The main wreckage was located 2 days after the accident, with about 3-feet of the tail boom still attached. Deformation of the wreckage indicated evidence of an uncontrolled impact with the water. Five days later another section (middle) of the tail boom was recovered, floating about 60 miles from the main wreckage. When examined, this section revealed 4 tail rotor blade strike marks in relative distance along the tail boom of the tail rotor tip path plane. Fifty-eight days later, the aft most section of the tail boom was found washed up on the shoreline. Examination of this section revealed a missing rod end, which was part of the tail rotor pitch control system. It could not be determined if the rod end came loose in flight or during the impact with the water. According to the autopsy report, the pilot's death was due to traumatic injury with a "contributing" cause of an "acute occlusion to left anterior descending coronary artery of the heart." No definite conclusions could be drawn as to the reason for the loss of control.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of control for reasons undetermined.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/2000
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 730
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Gilchrist
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77655
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 292557N
Event Location Longitude 0943235W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 752 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID GLS
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
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) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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) 12064
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 29 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 7 2003 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N407MM
NTSB Number FTW01FA043
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 407
Aircraft Series Identifier 407
Aircraft Serial Number 53060
Certified Max Gross Weight 5000
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Dec 26 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 4429
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name The Fifth Third Leasing Co.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 38 Fountain Square Plaza, 5th Floor
Aircraft Owner City Cincinnati
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45236
Operator is an individual? No
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 --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 NONE
Departure City CAMERON
Departure State LA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 713
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GLS
Destination City GALVESTON
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 26 2002 5:39PM
User who most recently changed record SNYG
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --