Bell 206L-3 N330P

Summary

On 22 July 2007 at about 19:50 local time, a Bell 206L-3 registered N330P was involved in an accident near High Island 138, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 July 2007 at 19:50

Classification

Accident

Location

High Island 138, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bell 206L-3

Registration

N330P

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gulf of Mexico → Layfayette

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW07LA169

Nobody was injured.

The loss of control as result of the pilot's failure to maintain rotor RPM during takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 1,236-hour commercial helicopter pilot, who reported having accumulated 79-hours in the same make and model aircraft, lost control of the helicopter while attempting to takeoff from an offshore platform. The pilot performed a pre-departure check of the engine instruments. He then increased collective to gain altitude, as he lowered the nose of the helicopter to gain forward airspeed, and continued his takeoff run. During the takeoff run, as the helicopter neared the edge of the 28 by 28-foot helipad on the platform, the nose of the helicopter yawed to the left, and the helicopter began to descend. The helicopter's right skid collided with a solar panel mounted to the heliport's railing, and the helicopter continued over the edge of the platform descending vertically into the water, about 70-feet below. The pilot reported that he felt that he had experienced a partial loss of engine power which resulted in his loss of control. The pilot further stated that he did not have time to deploy the skid-mounted emergency floats before the helicopter entered the water, and subsequently sank. The temperature at the time of the mishap was 97 degrees Fahrenheit. At the time of the mishap, the helicopter was calculated to be 50-pounds below its maximum gross weight. A post-accident examination of the helicopter and the powertrain did not reveal any pre-accident mechanical anomalies or discrepancies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.