Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
South Timbalier 178A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gulf Of Mexico, Louisiana
Monday, July 26, 2010 14:42 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During takeoff from an offshore oil platform, the pilot reported a loss of main rotor rpm. The pilot activated the emergency float system and initiated an autorotation to the water. Upon touchdown, the engine was still operating. The pilot shut down the engine and prepared the passengers to evacuate. All three occupants safely evacuated the helicopter (which was upright on its skid-mounted float system) and boarded the emergency life raft that the pilot had inflated. The helicopter remained upright floating on the water and was later recovered and transported to the operator’s on-shore maintenance facility. The operator did immediate fuel quality tests at the facility where the helicopter had most recently been refueled and found no problems.
An examination of the helicopter drive systems and a test run of the engine did not reveal any preincident anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the main rotor system. The cause of the loss of main rotor rpm could not be determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of main rotor rpm during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 7/26/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1442 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Gulf of Mexico |
| Event State | LOUISIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | -- |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 213142N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0901740W |
| Event Location Airport | South Timbalier 178A |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | NONE |
| 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 | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 100 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1450 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 26 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HUM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 10 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 63 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 29 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 130 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KHUM 261850Z 13005KT 7SM BKN030 BKN050 33/26 |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30336 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Coast Guard National Command C |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 13 2012 9:21AM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N317RL |
| NTSB Number | CEN10IA438 |
| 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 | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 206 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | L4 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 52317 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4450 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 4 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 26 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 127 |
| Airframe Hours | 5544 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ROTORCRAFT LEASING CO LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 430 N EOLA RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | BROUSSARD |
| Aircraft Owner State | LA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 70518-3304 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | ROTORCRAFT LEASING CO LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 430 N EOLA RD |
| Operator City | BROUSSARD |
| Operator State | LA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 70518-3304 |
| Operator Code | YTRA |
| 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 | YTRA264L |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | NONE |
| Departure City | Gulf of Mexico |
| Departure State | LA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1442 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | NONE |
| Destination City | Gulf of Mexico |
| Destination State | LA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 31 2012 10:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | 100 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |