Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sabine Pass, Texas
Thursday, December 11, 2008 7:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The air taxi flight was en route to an offshore drilling platform to drop off passengers. When the helicopter became overdue for its routine position report, the company attempted unsuccessfully to contact the pilot through several means, including radio and telephone. The company conducted an aerial search along the route of flight; however, the helicopter was not located. The company then notified the Coast Guard of the missing helicopter approximately an hour and forty minutes after it became overdue. The wreckage was located 2 miles offshore in 13 to 15 feet of water, along the helicopter's route of flight. An examination of the helicopter airframe, engine, and related systems revealed no anomalies. Damage was consistent with controlled flight into the water. A cold front had just passed through the area several hours prior to the accident. Visible satellite imagery around the time of the accident depicted mid- to high-level cloud layers in the vicinity of the accident location. Breaks in the upper cloud layers depicted low stratus-type clouds within 15 nautical miles of the accident location. AIRMETS for instrument meteorological conditions, turbulence, and icing were valid for the accident area and route of flight. Cloud bases were most likely below 1,000 feet above ground level and visibility was restricted due to mist and possible light snow. The air temperature was recorded at 34 degrees Fahrenheit and the water temperature was recorded at 64 degrees Fahrenheit. There was no record to indicate that the pilot had obtained a formal weather briefing from a recorded source. The pilot held a commercial certificate and an instrument rating; however, he was not approved for instrument flight under Part 135 and was not current. At the time of the accident the company did not have a formal risk assessment program and a formal evaluation of the flight risks was not performed for the accident flight. The pilot normally flew a helicopter in which the flight tracking system engaged when the master switch was turned on; however, the accident helicopter required the system to be activated by a separate switch in the cockpit. This variation was not in the checklist. According to company records, the pilot had been flying the accident helicopter for two or three days prior to the accident. During this time there was no track record for the helicopter, which is consistent with the pilot not activating the helicopter's flight tracking system. The pilot, whose personal flotation device was inflated and secured, suffered severe chest injuries complicated by asphyxia due to drowning. Two passengers were secured within their flotation devices; however, neither flotation device had been inflated. Two passengers were not wearing flotation devices when they were located; however, two personal flotation devices from the accident flight were recovered and showed signatures consistent with use. One had been partially inflated, and the second had been entirely inflated. The 4 passengers suffered asphyxia due to drowning with probable complication of cold water shock and hypothermia. The investigation was unable determine if the company's delay in notifying the Coast Guard contributed to the severity of injuries in the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the water. Contributing to the accident was the inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/11/2008
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 730
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Sabine Pass
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 293918N
Event Location Longitude 0935654W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 337
Weather Observation Facility ID BPT
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 5
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26357
NTSB Notification Source FAA Flight Standards District
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 20 2010 3:48PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N180AL
NTSB Number CEN09FA086
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 Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206L-4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 52104
Certified Max Gross Weight 4450
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 6
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 6360
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Rotorcraft Leasing Company, LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 430 N Eola Road
Aircraft Owner City Broussard
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70518
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Rotorcraft Leasing Company, LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 430 N Eola Road
Operator City Broussard
Operator State LA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 70518
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Sabine Pass
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 722
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City West Cameron157
Destination State GM
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 25 2010 11:07AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --