Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Isle, Louisiana 70358
Sunday, August 8, 1982 12:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS APPROACHING AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM FOR LANDING AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL WHEN HE FELT THE HELICOPTER SHUDDER. HE ALSO HEARD AN ENGINE-OUT HORN AND A LOW-ROTOR-RPM WARNING. HE TURNED AWAY FROM THE PLATFORM, POPPED THE EMERGENCY FLOATS AND INITIATED AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING. HOWEVER, THE FLOATS WERE NOT YET FULLY INFLATED AT THE TIME OF WATER CONTACT AND THE HELICOPTER IMMEDIATELY FLIPPED INVERTED. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE OUTER SHAFT IN THE FREE-WHEELING UNIT HAD FAILED AT THE SPLINE AREA. THIS ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO GO INTO AN OVERSPEED. THEN AUTOMATICALLY SHUT DOWN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GRAND ISLE
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70358
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 8
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) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 83
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 135
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1827
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 Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N59504
NTSB Number FTW82DA323
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 1341
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 5
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 9
Airframe Hours 8027
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PETROLEUM HELICOPTER
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 HELICOPTER
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 0LA5
Departure City GRAND ISLE
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1228
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City TIMBALIER BLK 2
Destination State GM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
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 --