Bell 407 accident near Ship Shoal 130E, USA
On December 17, 2004, a Bell 407 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Ship Shoal 130E, USA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 17, 2004
- Place
- Ship Shoal 130E, USA
- Aircraft
- Bell 407 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 28.733°N, 91.208°W
- NTSB ID
- 20041221X02018
Official records · DFW05FA040
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 17, 2004, approximately 1215 central standard time, a Bell 407 single-engine turbine-powered helicopter, N976AA, registered to and operated by Omni Energy Services Corp., of Carencro, Louisiana, was destroyed when it impacted water following an in-flight collision with an object while landing on the helideck of a offshore oil platform Ship Shoal (SS) 130E located in the Gulf of Mexico. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries, and two passengers sustained minor injuries. Another passenger was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. The local flight originated from a nearby platform, SS 149 at 1142, with an intermediate stop at SS 130C. The pilot reported, in a written statement, that he had requested a 30-minute clearance to transport passengers from platform to platform in the vicinity of SS 149C. As two passengers boarded the helicopter, the pilot noted the wind was from the west approximately 25-30 miles per hour (mph). After boarding, one of the passengers seated in the back of the helicopter informed the pilot that he needed to go to SS 130E. The pilot then lifted off and proceeded westbound toward SS 130E. After approaching SS 130E from the east, the pilot circled the platform from the south and initiated an approach from the west. The pilot brought the helicopter to a hover approximately 10 feet above the north side of the platform, while facing to the southeast. The pilot stated that he asked the pass
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with a stationary object while maneuvering for landing. Contributing factors were the inadequate facilities available for landing, the pilot's lack of information regarding the landing area, and the operational status of the offshore platform.
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Browse: United States · Bell aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
