FlarePath
Cases › DFW05FA040 · Part 135 fatal

Bell 407

Ship Shoal 130E, USA · 2004-12-17·N976AA

1
fatal
1
serious
Fatal
highest injury
Destroyed
damage
AnalyseThe analystOne timeline · precedents · ask the docket · what the record saysGenerateInvestigation briefFacts, cause, recorder extremes, sequence, sourcesSourceNTSB docket3 documents on data.ntsb.gov

What happened

NTSB summary, verbatim

As the 5,472-hour pilot was maneuvering to land on the helideck of an offshore platform, the main rotor blades struck an object that was temporally placed on the helideck. Subsequently, the helicopter rolled off the helideck and impacted the water. The pilot stated that while he was hovering, he asked the passenger who was seated in the left front seat where the helicopter was in relation to the platform and if the left side of the helicopter was clear because he was "watching the rotor disc." The passenger informed the pilot that the helicopter was half on and half off the platform and the left side was clear. The passenger who originally wanted to go to the platform told the pilot to continue ahead and not land. As the pilot acknowledged the passenger's request, he heard a noise followed by a sudden yaw to the right and a shutter of the flight controls. The owners of the platform stated that the helideck was not operational at the time of the accident; however, the operator of the helicopter reported that they were not aware of the status of the platform. Recovery efforts ceased and the helicopter was not recovered and is presumed destroyed.

Photographs

2the aircraft, and what the investigators found
Wreckage and site documentation · 2 photographs from the docket

Photographs are NTSB docket attachments — works of the US government, in the public domain. Captions are the Board’s own.

Probable cause

the Board's determination
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with a stationary object while maneuvering for landing. Contributing factors were the inadequate facilities available for landing, the pilot's lack of information regarding the landing area, and the operational status of the offshore platform.

NTSB analysis

from the final report

As the 5,472-hour pilot was maneuvering to land on the helideck of an offshore platform, the main rotor blades struck an object that was temporally placed on the helideck. Subsequently, the helicopter rolled off the helideck and impacted the water. The pilot stated that while he was hovering, he asked the passenger who was seated in the left front seat where the helicopter was in relation to the platform and if the left side of the helicopter was clear because he was "watching the rotor disc." The passenger informed the pilot that the helicopter was half on and half off the platform and the left side was clear. The passenger who originally wanted to go to the platform told the pilot to continue ahead and not land. As the pilot acknowledged the passenger's request, he heard a noise followed by a sudden yaw to the right and a shutter of the flight controls. The owners of the platform stated that the helideck was not operational at the time of the accident; however, the operator of the helicopter reported that they were not aware of the status of the platform. Recovery efforts ceased and the helicopter was not recovered and is presumed destroyed.