Bell 412 N3909F

Summary

On 26 August 1991 at about 12:15 local time, a Bell 412 registered N3909F, operated by Petroleum Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Garden Banks. 13 people were on board and one died, 4 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 August 1991 at 12:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Garden Banks

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bell 412

Registration

N3909F

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Petroleum Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ship Shole 248 → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW91FA155

1 person died.

OVERHEATING AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE NUMBER ONE TAIL ROTOR HANGER BEARING FOR AN UNDETERINED REASON, AND FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS ON FINAL APCH TO AN OIL RIG IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, WHEN TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY & DRCTNL CTL WERE LOST. AS THE CREW BEGAN AN AUTOROTATION TO THE WATER, THE HELICOPTER SPUN OUT OF CTL TO THE RGT. IT MADE 2 TO 3 REVOLUTIONS & IMPACTED THE WATER. THE RGT FLOATATION GEAR DEPLOYED, BUT THE LEFT FLOATATION GEAR DIDN'T DEPLOY, BECAUSE THE PNEUMATIC LINES WERE PULLED APART DRG IMPACT. SUBSEQUENLTY, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER DRG TOUCHDOWN IN THE WATER. THE CREW & 10 OF 11 PSGRS ESCAPED THRU THE EMERG WINDOWS. THE OTR PSGR REMAINED IN HIS SEAT (INCAPACITATED FM INJURIES) & DROWNED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE #1 HANGER BEARING HAD OVERHEATED & DISINTEGRATED AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT FAILED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.