Bell 206-L3Industrial Helicopters Inc.
Gulf of Mexico, USA · 2005-10-06·N6560K
What happened
NTSB summary, verbatimThe 7,498-hour commercial pilot was assumed to have departed an unmanned offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico with two passengers onboard destined for a private heliport in Louisiana. When the pilot failed to make his required 30-minute position reports, a search was initiated by the United States Coast Guard (USCG). No distress calls were ever reported from the pilot and no debris was ever located. The USCG ceased search and rescue efforts 4 days after the reported disappearance of the helicopter; however, the operator continued to fly over the coastlines of Texas and Louisiana in search of washed-up debris and issued an All-Notification to vessels operating in the Gulf of Mexico. At the time of this report, the helicopter is still missing.
Probable cause
the Board's determinationUndetermined. The aircraft is missing.
NTSB analysis
from the final reportThe 7,498-hour commercial pilot was assumed to have departed an unmanned offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico with two passengers onboard destined for a private heliport in Louisiana. When the pilot failed to make his required 30-minute position reports, a search was initiated by the United States Coast Guard (USCG). No distress calls were ever reported from the pilot and no debris was ever located. The USCG ceased search and rescue efforts 4 days after the reported disappearance of the helicopter; however, the operator continued to fly over the coastlines of Texas and Louisiana in search of washed-up debris and issued an All-Notification to vessels operating in the Gulf of Mexico. At the time of this report, the helicopter is still missing.