Aerospatiale SA330J N47307
14 July 1988 · Gulf-of-Mexico · Fatal
Summary
On 14 July 1988 at about 12:25 local time, a Aerospatiale SA330J registered N47307, operated by Petroleum Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Gulf-of-Mexico. 16 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 12:25
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Gulf-of-Mexico
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA330J
- Registration
- N47307
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Petroleum Helicopters
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Eugene Island
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW88FA131
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 |
Probable cause
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
DRG LIFT-OFF FROM AN OIL PLATFORM IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, THE HELICOPTER BGN A SLOW UNCOMMANDED LEFT TURN. THE PLT TRIED TO FLY IT BY LOWERING THE NOSE & INCREASING COLLECTIVE. AFTER 2 TURNS, THE HELICOPTER SETTLED & IMPACTED THE WATER IN A LEFT BANK, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE AUTO-PLT WAS NOT DISCONNECTED, NOR WERE THE FLOATS INFLATED. NO PREIMPACT MECH FAILURE WAS FOUND. INTERVIEWS REVEALED THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT STABILIZED IN A HOVER BEFORE INITIATING A TAKEOFF. THERE WAS A PREVIOUS WRITE-UP WHICH STATED 'A/C REQUIRES MORE RIGHT PEDAL THAN USUAL IN HOVER AND FORWARD FLIGHT.' IN RESPONSETO THIS WRITE-UP, A MECHANIC HAD ADJUSTED A TUBE WHICH RAN REARWARD FROM THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE AUTO-PILOT SYSTEM. THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL DESCRIBED THIS TUBE AS BEING ONE OF THE 'SEMI-FIXED' RODS. REFERRING TO THESE RODS, THE MANUAL CAUTIONED, 'THEY ARE ADJUSTED ONCE FOR ALL WHEN THEY ARE FITTED TO THE AIRCRAFT. THEY MUST NOT BE ADJUSTED SUBSEQUENTLY.'
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.