Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sabine Pass, Texas 77655
Saturday, January 25, 1986 9:04 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACFT ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WEATHER ENROUTE FROM SHORE TO AN OIL RIG THAT WAS UNDER TOW IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. UPON ENCOUNTERING IMC CONDITIONS, THE PLT CLIMBED TO 600' AGL FOR BETTER OBSTACLE CLEARANCE AND TURNED BACK TOWARD THE BEACH. DURING A SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPT TO REACQUIRE VMC CONDITIONS THE PLT ENTERED A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN. THE PLT STATED THAT DURING THE TURN A RAPID DESCENT RATE DEVELOPED AND THAT HE WAS ABLE TO ARREST IT USING FULL COLLECTIVE, JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE TIDAL MUD FLATS. THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING WITH NO DAMAGE BUT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DESTROYED DURING THE RECOVERY EFFORT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/25/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 904
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SABINE PASS
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77655
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 1
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 907 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID RPE
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2417
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 25 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33092
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5748Y
NTSB Number FTW86LRA07
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 None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206L-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 206L-1
Aircraft Serial Number 45495
Certified Max Gross Weight 4050
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 3435
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OMNIFLIGHT OFFSHORE INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O.BOX 7519
Aircraft Owner City CORPUS CHRIST
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name OMNI FLIGHT OFFSHORE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 2, BOX 905
Operator City CORPUS CHRISTI
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78410
Operator Code HHSA
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 850
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:56PM
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 --