Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vr 189, --
Tuesady, November 11, 2014 13:55 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On November 11, 2014, about 1355 central standard time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N373RL, was ditched on the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana, following a loss of engine power. The pilot and three passengers were uninjured. The helicopter sustained no damage during the ditching. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Rotorcraft Leasing Company LLC, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135, as a passenger flight. Day visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed for the flight, which did not operate on a VFR flight plan. The flight was originating from VR189, an offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. At 1450, the recorded weather at the Houma-Terrebonne Airport, near Houma, Louisiana, was: Wind 190 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 7 statute miles; sky condition scattered clouds at 4,200 feet, broken clouds at 6,500 feet; temperature 26 degrees C; dew point 16 degrees C; altimeter 29.96 inches of mercury.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 11/11/2014
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1355
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City VR 189
Event State GULF OF MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
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 1950 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID HUM
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4200
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KHUM 111950Z 19007KT 7SM SCT042 BKN065 26/16 A2996
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 18 2014 4:54PM
User who most recently changed record male
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N373RL
NTSB Number CEN15IA046
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed --
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 407
Aircraft Series Identifier NO SERIES
Aircraft Serial Number 53373
Certified Max Gross Weight 5501
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? --
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 3
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
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 ROTORCRAFT LEASING CO LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City BROUSSARD
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 705183304
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name ROTORCRAFT LEASING COMPANY L L C
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State LA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code YTRA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
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 --
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City --
Departure State --
Departure Country --
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 16 2014 6:08PM
User who most recently changed record male
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --