Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Houme-Terrebonne Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Houma, Louisiana 70363
Monday, October 22, 2012 1:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On October 22, 2012, at 0100 central daylight time, an Agusta SPA AW139 helicopter, N385RH, collided with the terrain following a loss of control while the helicopter was being repositioned on the Houma-Terrebonne Airport (KHUM), Houma, Louisiana. Neither of the two airline transport rated pilots on board were injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was registered to and operated by ERA Helicopters LLC and was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The helicopter was being relocated from one landing pad to another, about 20 feet away, when the accident occurred. When the wheels touched the ground during the landing, a vertical vibration was noted. The pilot increased the collective in an attempt to load the main rotor system; however, the vibration worsened and the helicopter began to shake violently. The pilot was able to move the helicopter away from the pad, as there was another helicopter being fueled next to it. The pilot then made a left pedal turn and was able to set the helicopter down on the grass. He stated that the helicopter impacted the ground very hard while moving laterally to the left.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/22/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 100 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Houma |
| Event State | LOUISIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 70363 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 293336N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0903958W |
| Event Location Airport | Houme-Terrebonne Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KHUM |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 9 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Unknown |
| Time of the weather observation | 55 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KHUM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 9 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Bright |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| 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) | 15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.06 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 30 2012 2:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N385RH |
| NTSB Number | CEN13LA025 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AGUSTA SPA |
| Aircraft Model | AW139 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 41013 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 17 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ERA HELICOPTERS LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 600 AIRPORT SERVICE RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | LAKE CHARLES |
| Aircraft Owner State | LA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 70605 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | ERA HELICOPTERS LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 600 AIRPORT SERVICE RD |
| Operator City | LAKE CHARLES |
| Operator State | LA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 70605 |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KHUM |
| Departure City | Houma |
| Departure State | LA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | KHUM |
| Destination City | Houma |
| Destination State | LA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 23 2012 5:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | sulp |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |