Bell 206B N496RL

Summary

On 5 November 2004 at about 19:30 local time, a Bell 206B registered N496RL was involved in an accident near S.Timbelier 187, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 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

5 November 2004 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

S.Timbelier 187, United States

Coordinates

28.4833, -90.3167

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N496RL

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

S.Timbelier 187 → S.Timbelier 161

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW05LA017

1 person was seriously injured.

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter departed an offshore platform located in open ocean water and climbed to 500 feet. Subsequently, the 10,961-hour pilot that at he heard a "loud bang" and then the engine lost power. The pilot initiated an autorotation and deployed the emergency skid-mounted float system. Approximately 50-60 feet above the rough ocean water, the pilot "started to flare and selected a wave to land on." The helicopter landed hard on the water, and remained upright for about 20 minutes before it rolled over inverted and partially submerged. The pilot and his two passengers evacuated the helicopter immediately after touchdown without deploying the emergency on-board life raft. Approximately 30 minutes after the accident, another helicopter arrived and dropped an emergency life raft into the water for the pilot and crew until further assistance could arrive. A brief examination of the helicopter by the pilot after evacuation revealed that the tailboom was separated from the fuselage. Recovery efforts were initiated on November 6, 2004. During the recovery process, the skids of the helicopter separated from the fuselage and the helicopter sank. Ocean depths were approximately 180 feet in the area of the accident and recovery efforts ceased. The helicopter was not recovered and the reason for the loss of power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.