ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 41060
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| Date: | Thursday 28 November 1996 |
| Time: | 15:33 |
| Type: |  Eurocopter AS 350B2 |
| Owner/operator: | Petroleum Helicopters (PHI) |
| Registration: | N6100U |
| MSN: | 2863 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1995 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1816 hours |
| Engine model: | Turbomeca ARRIEL 1D1 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | High Island A20, Gulf of Mexico, 25 nm SSE of Galveston, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Offshore |
| Departure airport: | High Island 446, Gulf of Mexico |
| High Island 105, Gulf of Mexico | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On November 28, 1996, at 1533 central standard time, an Eurocopter AS350B2 helicopter, N6100U, owned and operated by Petroleum Helicopters, Inc.(PHI), as a Title 14 CFR Part 135 flight on demand air taxi flight, was destroyed during an emergency landing at the High Island A20 platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company VFR flight plan was filed. The airline transport rated pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The flight originated from High Island 446 platform, Gulf of Mexico, at 1504, and was en route to its destination of High Island 105 platform.
The flight Sam 71 departed High Island 446, Gulf of Mexico at 1504, with a destination of High Island 105. At 1526, the pilot reported to Galveston flight following that the 'tail [rotor] gear box chip light [had] illuminated,' and he was experiencing a 'very high vibration,' which 'settled down a little bit at a slower airspeed.' At 1527 the pilot reported heading towards a platform 3 miles to his north. At 1531 Sam 71 reported that on his first attempt to land on the platform [High Island A20], he was 'not able to control the tail rotor.' Sam 71 also reported that he would try to land one more time, and if unable he would 'continue in [Galveston].' There were no further communications with Sam 71. Examination of the tail rotor system revealed one pitch change link disconnected.
Probable Cause: The failure of the tail rotor pitch change link due to a fatigue fracture, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor control and separation of the aft tailboom.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20001208X07024&ntsbno=FTW97FA051&akey=1
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=6100U
3. http://aircrashed.com/accident/FTW97FA051.shtml
4. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=11514
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 11-Jun-2010 02:21 | TB | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Narrative] |
| 04-Jul-2014 18:25 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Country, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 18-Oct-2022 18:26 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Narrative, Accident report, Photo] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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