Eurocopter AS350 N193EH

Summary

On 12 January 2009 at about 17:15 local time, a Eurocopter AS350 registered N193EH, operated by Era Helicopters LLC, was involved in an accident near Vermillion 229, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 January 2009 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Vermillion 229, United States

Nearest airport

Vermilion 229 (V229)

Coordinates

28.6667, -92.4583

Aircraft

Eurocopter AS350

Registration

N193EH

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Era Helicopters LLC

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Vermillion 229 → Cameron

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09CA127

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a known obstruction. Contributing to the accident was the location/placement of lightning rods in the landing zone.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he was departing the heliport at the oil rig platform and had brought the helicopter into a low hover. While in the hover, the tail rotor struck a two-foot vertical lightning rod attached to the platform edge causing damage to the tail rotor blades and horizontal stabilizer, wrinkling the tail boom, and displacing the tail rotor gear box. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter prior to impact. The pilot stated that he had observed the lightning rod placement during previous landings on the platform as well as during the current operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.