Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Beaumont, Texas 77701
Wednesday, September 15, 2004 22:37 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A single-engine public use helicopter was destroyed when it impacted water while maneuvering over a lake at night during a search mission. The 2,475-hour commercial pilot reported that he had set the altimeter to the current barometric pressure setting of 29.75 inches of Mercury prior to departure. Then, he and the pilot-rated passenger departed and made several passes over the lake at 500 feet, then descended to 300 feet for better visual reference of an object on the water. The crew still had difficulty identifying the object and the pilot descended to 200 feet. The pilot reported that there was absolutely no reference to the horizon, so he told the passenger that he would be "on the instruments." As the pilot made a right hand turn, he said the altimeter indicated a slow descent from 200 feet, so he pulled back slightly on the cyclic and increased collective pitch to start a smooth, climbing right turn. As the pilot did so, the passenger shouted, "look out!" The pilot pulled the cyclic back sharply and looked out the windscreen. The pilot thought that he was about to strike a tower because the altimeter indicated an altitude between 150 and 175 feet. The pilot then saw a "black wall" through the windscreen and they collided with the water. Examination of the altimeter revealed that it was not impact damaged, but did exhibit water and corrosion damage. It displayed a barometric pressure setting of 29.66 inches of Mercury and an altitude of approximately 110 feet. Due to corrosion, the unit could not be bench tested. The face of the instrument was removed, and excessive corrosion was observed inside the unit and around the gears. The barrel shaft (turn knob) was locked, but it was engaged to the barrel. The number-wheels were also intact and engaged. According to the aircraft checklist, the altimeter was to be set and checked by the pilot prior to take-off.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's failure to properly set the altimeter prior to departure, which resulted in collision with the water (lake) during a search mission. A factor was the dark night.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/15/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 2237 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Beaumont |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 77701 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 295703N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0940114W |
| 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 | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BPT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 15 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 20 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.74 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1977 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17963 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communications Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 16 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 240 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 7 2005 10:33AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Houston, Texas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9273T |
| NTSB Number | FTW04TA237 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | OH-58C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 71-20495 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3192 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 30 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4063.4 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Jefferson County Sherrifs Department |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1001 Pearl St Ste 103 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Beaumont |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77701 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| 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 | -- |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | BPT |
| Departure City | Beaumont |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2210 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 26 2005 10:05AM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |