Bell 206L-3 accident near East Cameron 78, USA

On October 18, 2001, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near East Cameron 78, USA. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.

Date

October 18, 2001

Place

East Cameron 78, USA

Aircraft

Bell 206L-3 · Helicopter

Injuries

0 fatal, 3 serious, 2 minor

Damage

Substantial

Position

29.296°N, 92.880°W

NTSB ID

20011025X02147

NTSB summary

On October 18, 2001, at 0940 central daylight time, a Bell 206L-3 helicopter, N348AL, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to the water following a loss of engine power near East Cameron block 78, in the Gulf of Mexico. The helicopter was owned and operated by Air Logistics LLC of New Iberia, Louisiana. The airline transport pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries, and two passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. The flight departed the Vermilion 289 platform, Gulf of Mexico, at 0910, with a destination of Creole, Louisiana. The flight originated from Creole at 0733, with 3 passengers, approximately 140 pounds of cargo, and 2.7 hours of fuel for the Vermilion 376 platform. At 0839, the helicopter landed at Vermilion 376, and the three passengers deplaned and their cargo was off loaded. Then four passengers boarded the helicopter, and at 0854, the flight departed for Vermilion 289 for fuel. At 0902, the helicopter landed at Vermilion 289, took on 60 pounds of fuel and departed for Creole. According to the operator, the helicopter was in cruise flight at 500 feet msl, when the pilot heard a "thud," and the helicopter yawed left. The engine lost power, and the pilot initiated an autorotation to the water. The pilot turned the helicopter to the right into the wind and "before the completion of the turn, the hydraulics quit." The helicopter landed "hard" on the water and rolled ov

Probable cause

The hard landing due to the pilot's failure to maintain proper main rotor rpm. Contributing factors were the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to deploy the emergency floats.

More accidents in USA

• Beech 58, Dec 8, 2017
• Cessna 421C, Jul 8, 2009
• Piper PA32 - 300, Oct 6, 2013
• Piper PA-23-250, Oct 13, 2012
• Cessna 177, Oct 29, 2009

Browse: United States · Bell aircraft

See it on the map

Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.