Bell 206L-1 N3913S
27 December 1989 · S Marsh Is 7 · Serious injuries
Summary
On 27 December 1989 at about 17:30 local time, a Bell 206L-1 registered N3913S, operated by Air Logistics, was involved in an accident near S Marsh Is 7. 6 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured, 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 17:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- S Marsh Is 7
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1
- Registration
- N3913S
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Air Logistics
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Grand Chenier → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW90FA046
People
3 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE AND CORRECT A SITUATION INVOLVING LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS, RESULTING IN LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN LOADED NEAR ITS MAX GROSS WT LIMIT OF 4150 LBS. THE PLT RPRTD THAT DURING AN APCH TO AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO WIND. AS THE APCH SPEED DROPPED BELOW EFFECTIVE TRANSLATIONAL LIFT, THE PLT NOTED A SHUDDER THAT DID NOT SEEM NORMAL, SO HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND. AS HE APPLIED POWER & PEDAL TO GO AROUND, THE ACFT SPUN TO THE RGT & THE NOSE TUCKED. THE PLT TRIED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE RPRTD THAT JUST BEFORE WATER IMPACT HE LEVELED THE HELICOPTER, DEPLOYED THE EMERG FLOATS & APPLIED FULL COLLECTIVE PITCH. ALSO, HE STATED THE RATE OF SPIN DECREASED AS HE APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH. ONE OF THE LEFT FLOATS SEPARATED ON WATER ENTRY & THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. NO FEEDBACK OR RESTRICTION OF THE CONTROLS WAS NOTED BEFORE IMPACT. A POST-ACDNT EXAM OF THE HELICOPTER DID NOT REVEAL ANY PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell 206 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 1989 | Bell 206B III | Park City, Utah, United States | Avman Inc | No injuries | - |
| 2 Jun 1989 | Bell 206L | Abbeville, Louisiana, United States | Taylor Energy Vthe | No injuries | - |
| 10 Aug 1989 | Bell 206B | Nanuet, New York, United States | Eagle Helicopter | No injuries | - |
| 2 Nov 1989 | Bell 206L-3 | Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States | Air Methods, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 1989 | Bell 206B | Oak Grove, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Jul 1989 | Bell 206L-1 | Chiefland, Florida, United States | Kenn Aire Medical Corp. | No injuries | - |