Bell 206B-III N22704

Summary

On 3 January 1989 at about 18:50 local time, a Bell 206B-III registered N22704 was involved in an accident near S.timbalier 151. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 January 1989 at 18:50

Classification

Accident

Location

S.timbalier 151

Nearest airport

S. Tim 151 (151)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bell 206B-III

Registration

N22704

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

S.t. 151 → S.t. 151

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW89LA036

1 person had minor injuries.

A COLLISION BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT AND THE PLATFORM DURING THE EMERGENCY AUTOROTATION WHICH CAUSED THE LEFT SKID AND FLOAT TO SEPARATE AND DESTABILIZED THE AUTOROTATION. THE COLLISION WAS PROBABLY UNADOIDABLE DUE TO THE MANEUVER THAT WAS BEING CONDUCTED AT THE ONSET OF THE EMERGENCY. THE EMERGENCY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED FOLLOWING AN ENGINE FAILURE THAT WAS THE RESULT OF A TOTAL COMPRESSOR FAILURE. THE COMPRESSOR FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE SIXTH STAGE WHEEL WHICH SEPARATED. THE FAILURE WAS INITIATED DUE TO A CASTING INCLUSION IN THE WHEEL WHICH WAS NOT DETECTED DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACFT EXPERIENCED AN ENG FAILURE DURING A SLING LOAD PICK UP ON AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM. DURING THE AUTOROTATION, THE LEFT SKID AND FLOAT STRUCK A HANDRAIL ON THE RIG AND SEPARATED. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE WATER, NOSE LOW, AND ROLLED OVER AS A RESULT OF THE SEPARATED FLOAT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENG FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF A 6TH STAGE COMPRESSOR WHEEL FATIGUE FAILURE. THE WHEEL FATIGUE ORIGINATED AT A CASTING INCLUSION THAT HAD NOT BEEN DETECTED DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.