Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Venice, Louisiana 70091
Thursday, March 6, 2003 7:20 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter impacted water while maneuvering in a turn. The 16,000-hour pilot stated that a weather brief was obtained prior to departure, and the weather reported at Venice, Louisiana, near the intended destination was 2 1/2 statute miles visibility, with increasing visibilities and sky conditions improving. At approximately 0715 and 40 nautical miles northwest Boothville, Louisiana, deteriorating weather conditions developed. The pilot elected to execute a right turn and descend to an altitude where weather conditions were better, and sight of water was evident. At a slow rate of speed "estimated no faster than a walk," the tail rotor struck the water. The aircraft yawed to the left and a ditching maneuver was entered while close to the water at a slow speed. The aircraft impacted the water on its left side and immediately filled with water. Weather conditions at NEW at 0653 were reported as winds calm, visibility 1/2 statute mile, ceiling indefinite at 100 feet, and fog. Weather conditions at Boothville, Louisiana (BVE), 40 nautical miles northwest of the accident site, at 0751, were reported as winds from 180 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 1/4 statute mile, ceiling indefinite at 100 feet, and fog.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inability to maintain directional control following a loss of tail rotor drive. A contributing factor was the fog.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/6/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 720 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Venice |
| Event State | LOUISIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 70091 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 292600N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0892734W |
| 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 | 100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Indefinite (V V) |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0.5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.85 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 5 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 5 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15497 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 6 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1215 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 3 2004 1:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N945PT |
| NTSB Number | FTW03LA106 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| 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 | Eurocopter |
| Aircraft Model | AS350B2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2848 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4961 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Bank One Leasing Corp |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2400 Corportae Exchange Dr. Suit 300 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Columbus |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 43231 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Taylor Energy Company |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 6101 G Bellanca Street |
| Operator City | New Orleans |
| Operator State | LA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 70126 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| 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) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | NEW |
| Departure City | New Orleans |
| Departure State | LA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 655 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | GOM |
| Destination City | MS Canyon 20 |
| Destination State | GM |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering - turn to reverse direction |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 29 2004 8:48AM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |