Aerospatiale AS-355-F1 N5796M

Summary

On 4 July 1987 at about 19:45 local time, a Aerospatiale AS-355-F1 registered N5796M, operated by Petroleum Helicopters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Venice, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

4 July 1987 at 19:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Venice, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

29.2695, -89.3505

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS-355-F1

Registration

N5796M

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Petroleum Helicopters, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Venice → Gulf of Mexico

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW87FA156

1 person died.

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

ONE OF THE MECHANICS WHO PERFORMED MAINTENANCE ON THE AIRCRAFT MAIN ROTOR HEAD STATED THAT HE WAS NOT SURE THAT HE INSTALLED THE RETAINING BOLTS WHICH SECURED THE VIBRATION ABSORBER ASSEMBLY TO THE AIRCRAFT. METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ASSEMBLY INDICATED THAT THE RETAINING BOLTS WERE NOT INSTALLED AT IMPACT. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE SUGGESTS THAT THE VIBRATION ABSORBER ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND CONTACTED THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM RESULTING IN LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT CONTACT WITH THE TERRAIN (WATER). WITNESSES OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER COME APART IN FLIGHT AFTER HEARING A LOUD 'BOOM'.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.