Bell 230 N974RH

Summary

On 17 March 2011 at about 15:00 local time, a Bell 230 registered N974RH, operated by Republic Helicopters Inc, was involved in an accident near Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana, United States. One person was 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

17 March 2011 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana, United States

Nearest airport

South Marsh Island #50 (PVT)

Coordinates

28.7289, -91.8758

Aircraft

Bell 230

Registration

N974RH

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Republic Helicopters Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Fe → Gulf of Mexico

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11CA232

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the safety skirting during the repositioning landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was asked to reposition the helicopter on the helideck in an effort to clear a space for a helicopter that was coming in to land. During the repositioning landing, the pilot felt a high frequency vibration and the helicopter began to shudder. The pilot landed and after egressing the helicopter, discovered that a piece of tail rotor skin was lodged in the skirting; the tailrotor had impacted the safety skirting. The helicopter's tailboom sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.