MBB BO-105S N7161J

Summary

On 14 March 1997 at about 07:45 local time, a MBB BO-105S registered N7161J, operated by Petroleum Helicopters, Inc, was involved in an accident near Lena, Louisiana, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 March 1997 at 07:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Lena, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

31.4604, -92.7709

Aircraft

MBB BO-105S

Registration

N7161J

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Petroleum Helicopters, Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shreveport → Lafayette

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW97FA121

1 person died.

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his subsequent loss of aircraft control due to spatial disorientation. Factors were the pilot not following company procedures and directives, the low ceiling, and the dark night light condition.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a dark night flight from Shreveport, Louisiana, to Lafayette, Louisiana, via Alexandria, Louisiana, the helicopter descended to 500 feet MSL due to weather, and was following Interstate 49 south over the northbound lanes. The pilot slowed the helicopter to 70 knots keeping pace with the traffic. The medical crewmember remembered 'feeling a shudder, like the shudder as the helicopter decelerates through effective translational lift.' He heard the pilot say an expletive and felt the helicopter begin to turn left. He saw sparks overhead and felt plexi glass hit him. Subsequently, the helicopter impacted the ground. During this sequence he lost visual orientation of the helicopter's position in relation to the ground. According to the company's Operations Manual, during nighttime hours, the air ambulance cross country VFR minimum ceiling is 1,000 feet and the minimum visibility is 3 miles. Any flight outside the local flying area is considered a cross-country operation. The medical crewmember reported that the ceiling was about 550 to 600 feet, and the visibility was approximately 2 miles. Examination of the helicopter did not reveal any structural or mechanical anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.