Bell 407 N403PH
5 October 1998 · Vermilion 331 · Fatal
Summary
On 5 October 1998 at about 14:06 local time, a Bell 407 registered N403PH, operated by Petroleum Helicopters Inc., was involved in an accident near Vermilion 331. 2 people were on board and one died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 14:06
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Vermilion 331
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Bell 407
- Registration
- N403PH
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Petroleum Helicopters Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Positioning
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Vermilion 331A → E. Cameron 321A
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW99FA001
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
the failure of both pilots to see and avoid each other's aircraft during cruise flight. Factors were the failure of both pilots to use a known safety advisory recommendation and the failure of both operators to implement the recommendation as a company operating procedure.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The Bell 407 collided with an Aerospatiale AS-355-F1 while both helicopters were in cruise flight at 1,000 AGL over open ocean in the Gulf of Mexico. Both aircraft were being flown single pilot and were positioning flights between offshore platforms. The pilot of the Bell initiated an autorotation to the water and was rescued. The pilot of the Aerospatiale was fatally injured during the collision/water impact sequence and his helicopter impacted the water and sank into the ocean. Physical evidence on the recovered Bell wreckage indicated that the main rotor blades of the Aerospaciale struck the nose section of the Bell, removing the windshield, chin bubble and anti-torque pedals. The Bell's direct flight course was about 265 degrees. The Aerospatiale's direct course was about 155 degrees. The Bell pilot did not see the Aerospatiale until just before impact. The Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference (HSAC) had published a Recommended Practice (RP) in 1993 for standardized vertical separation of helicopters when flying in the offshore environment. Excerpts are: 'Helicopters operating enroute to and from offshore locations, below 3,000 feet, weather permitting, should use [the following] enroute altitudes; Magnetic Heading of 0 to 179 degrees - 750 feet or 1,750 feet, or 2,750 feet, Magnetic Heading of 180 to 359 degrees - 1,250 feet or 2,250 feet.' These recommended altitudes, if used, provide a minimum of 500 feet vertical clearance. Both operators, who are participating members in HSAC, did not have the HSAC-RP No. 93.1 included in their respective operations manuals. The RP's are recommended and not mandatory.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell 407 407 | N403PH | Petroleum Helicopters Inc. | Destroyed |
| Aerospatiale AS-355-F1 AS-355-F1 | N5792H | - | Destroyed |
Other Bell 407 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1998 | Bell 407 | Salta, Argentina | - | Unknown | - |
| 17 Aug 1999 | Bell 407 | Georgetown, Delaware, United States | Delaware State Police | Minor injuries | - |
| 26 Feb 1999 | Bell 407 | Belo Horizonte, Brazil | Banco Rural | Fatal | 2 |
| 15 Dec 1997 | Bell 407 | Littleton, Colorado, United States | - | Fatal | 4 |
| 18 Sep 1997 | Bell 407 | Grand Isle S108, United States | Petroleum Helicopters, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 Jun 2000 | Bell 407 | Lake Placid, Florida, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |