Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cameron, Louisiana 70631
Thursday, April 22, 1982 10:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

N2138Y DEPARTED CAMERON, LA AFTER REFUELING EN ROUTE TO AN OFFSHORE RIG. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE, WHILE OVER WATER, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO YAW AND VIBRATE SEVERELY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR PEDALS "KICKED" HARD WHEN ADDITIONAL POWER WAS APPLIED. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO SPIRAL AND TUCK TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT DEPLOYED THE FLOATS AND CLOSED THE THROTTLE IN AN EFFORT TO CUSHION THE IMPACT. EXAMINATION OF THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE REVEALED THAT THE BLADE TIP COUNTERWEIGHT SEPARATED, CAUSING A SEVERE DYNAMIC IMBALANCE. THE COUNTERWEIGHT SEPARATION WAS DUE TO DEBONDING OF THE WEIGHT BLOCK AND THE BLADESKIN SOMETIME PRIOR TO THE SUBJECT FLIGHT. EXAMINATION OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX REVEALED EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE FRACTURES OF THE GEARBOX ATTACHMENT STUB.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/22/1982
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CAMERON
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70631
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 4
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 Unknown
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 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 54
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1006
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2138Y
NTSB Number FTW82DA144
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206L-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 206L-1
Aircraft Serial Number 45639
Certified Max Gross Weight 4050
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 419
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PETROLEUM HELICIPTERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 90808
Aircraft Owner City LAFAYETTE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70509
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PETROLEUM HELICIPTERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 90808
Operator City LAFAYETTE
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70509
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City CAMERON
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VE58
Destination City GULF OF MEXICO
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:49PM
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 --