Bell 206-B3 N907CA

Summary

On 6 February 1999 at about 00:50 local time, a Bell 206-B3 registered N907CA was involved in an accident near Sabine Pass, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 February 1999 at 00:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Sabine Pass, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

None (NONE)

Coordinates

29.7309, -93.8902

Aircraft

Bell 206-B3

Registration

N907CA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Angleton → Sabine Pass

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW99LA076

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent spatial disorientation. Factors were the dark night conditions, the fog, and the pilot's failure to obtain a weather briefing prior to the flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated helicopter pilot lost control of the helicopter on final approach after inadvertently entering a fog bank at night. The pilot became disoriented, and the helicopter impacted the water near Sabine Pass, Texas. The pilot stated that he called a coworker located in Angleton and was told the 'weather was flyable.' The pilot flew the helicopter from Sabine Pass, Texas, to Angleton, where it underwent 1.5 hours of routine maintenance work. The pilot did not get a weather briefing prior to the return flight to Sabine Pass.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.