Bell 206L-1 N2623

Summary

On 4 February 1982 at about 21:50 local time, a Bell 206L-1 registered N2623, operated by Mobil Oil, was involved in an accident near Gulf of Mexico. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

4 February 1982 at 21:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Gulf of Mexico

Nearest airport

Ship Shoal 87 (SS87)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bell 206L-1

Registration

N2623

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Mobil Oil

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gulf of Mexico → Gulf of Mexico

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW82DA055

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS LANDED ON AN OIL RIG PLATFORM FOR REFUELING. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING, HE TURNED INTO THE WIND AND TOOK OFF. AS THE HELICOPTER CLEARED THE PLATFORM, IT YAWED LEFT AND PITCHED NOSE DOWN. THE PILOT APPLIED COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION HIS LANDING AND DEPLOYED THE POP-OUT FLOATS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN IN FIVE FOOT SEAS, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED INVERTED. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO EXIT THROUGH THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR. AFTER SOME DIFFICULTY, HE EGRESSED THROUGH ONE OF THE REAR DOORS. AN INSPECTION OF THE OIL RIG HELIDECK REVEALED THAT THE REFUELING HOSE WAS LYING OVER THE SIDE OF THE DECK AND THE HOSE NOZZLE WAS MISSING. BLUE PAINT WAS FOUND ON THE HOSE. THE SKIDS AND BOTTOM OF THE HELICOPTER WERE PAINTED WITH THE SAME SHADE OF BLUE PAINT. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.