Aerospatiale AS350B N390MA

Summary

On 9 December 1996 at about 20:58 local time, a Aerospatiale AS350B registered N390MA was involved in an accident near East Cameron 71. 2 people were 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

9 December 1996 at 20:58

Classification

Accident

Location

East Cameron 71

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS350B

Registration

N390MA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

W. Cameron 238 → E. Cameron 71

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA058

Nobody was injured.

failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from an object (crane/bucket). The gusty wind condition and proximity of the crane/bucket were related factors.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot hovered the helicopter about 3 feet above the helipad of an offshore platform, and initiated a pedal turn to keep the tailrotor clear of the stairwell and to align the helicopter into the wind for the landing. During the turn, the tailrotor struck a guard on the operator bucket of a crane, and one tail rotor blade separated from the helicopter. The helicopter rotated (uncontrolled) through 90 degrees of heading change, as the pilot rolled off the throttle and performed an autorotation onto the platform helipad. Winds were from the south at 10 gusting 18 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.