Bell 206-L1 N5006F

Summary

On 24 June 2004 at about 18:50 local time, a Bell 206-L1 registered N5006F, operated by American Helicopters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Vermillion Bay, Louisiana, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 June 2004 at 18:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Vermillion Bay, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

29.7556, -92.0797

Aircraft

Bell 206-L1

Registration

N5006F

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

American Helicopters, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ei-349 → Abbeville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

NTSB number

FTW04FA168

3 people died.

The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather conditions resulting in a loss of control. Contributing factors were the prevailing thunderstorms and the pilot's inadequate in flight preparation and planning.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 6,562-hour commercial rated helicopter pilot encountered adverse weather while on a 114-nautical mile over water cross-country flight. The pilot contacted his company's flight following with a normal position report and reported inbound on a Gulf of Mexico operation. Approximately eight minutes later, the accident pilot contacted his company's flight following and changed his destination to another heliport, but did not give a reason for the change of destination. He also reported his estimated time of arrival and that he was 45 miles out. At the helicopters approximate time of arrival, another helicopter pilot monitoring a common VHF radio frequency, overheard a mayday distress call. He then replied by asking for the accident pilot's location, but received no response. A moment later, another mayday distress call was heard followed by, "going in the water." There were no further communications or reported distress calls, and no reported eyewitnesses. A Convective SIGMET advisory was valid at the time of the accident. The SIGMET warned of embedded thunderstorms moving from 220 degrees at 25 knots, with tops above 45,000 feet. This advisory encompassed the area of the accident site. There was no report of the pilot obtaining any formal preflight weather briefing (from a company, flight service station, DUATS or WSI weather program) prior to departure or en route.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.