Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

E Cameron 190, -- 00000
Thursday, August 1, 2002 15:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter was en route to a gas production platform in the Gulf of Mexico when the helicopter's engine steadily lost power and the 2,500-hour commercial pilot initiated an autorotation to the water. During touch down, a main rotor blade struck the tail boom, separating a section of the tail rotor drive shaft and damaging both vertical winglets. No engine discrepancies or anomalies were noted with the engine during the investigation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/2002
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1540
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City E Cameron 190
Event State GULF OF MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 284800N
Event Location Longitude 0925700W
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 37
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21947
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1520
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 25 2007 12:22PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Houston, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25GH
NTSB Number FTW02LA228
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 206L-1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 45755
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 30 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4.4
Airframe Hours 23744.7
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Go Helicopters
Aircraft Owner Street Address 22015 South Freeway
Aircraft Owner City Manvel
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77578
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Helitrans Company, Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 OB0A
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City W Cameron 237
Departure State GM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Vermillon 410
Destination State GM
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Mar 25 2004 5:30PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --