Bell 430 N430CT

Summary

On 5 January 2014 at about 16:00 local time, a Bell 430 registered N430CT, operated by Chevron U S A Inc, was involved in an accident near West Delta 109, United States. 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

5 January 2014 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

West Delta 109, United States

Nearest airport

West Delta 109 (None)

Coordinates

29.2702, -89.3504

Aircraft

Bell 430

Registration

N430CT

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2002

Engines

2

Operator

Chevron U S A Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

MP313 → West Delta 109

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA103

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain tail rotor clearance from a handrail on a crane davit on an oil platform during landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that she was making a normal approach to the oil platform. Both cranes were shut down on the oil platform, and she received a green deck for landing. The helicopter was over the landing circle when she turned the helicopter's tail and felt a severe shudder. She immediately landed and shut down the helicopter. The examination of the helicopter and landing platform revealed that the tail rotor blades had struck a handrail on the east crane davit, which resulted in substantial damage to the tail rotor gearbox and drivetrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.