Pilot Debrief

BELL 222B near Gulf of Mexico, TX — 2009-04-08

Final reportCEN09LA252
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Date
2009-04-08
Location
Gulf of Mexico, TX, USA
Airport
GLS
Aircraft
BELL 222B
Registration
N309CH
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from obstructions while landing on a shipboard helipad.

NTSB narrative

While landing on the “winch only” deck of a ship at anchor in the Gulf of Mexico, the helicopter’s tail rotor struck a valve assembly protruding from the ship’s deck. The helicopter yawed approximately 60 degrees nose-right, then struck the ship’s side rail with the helicopter’s tail and came to rest upright on the deck. There was substantial damage to the helicopter’s fuselage, tail boom, horizontal stabilizer, tail rotor blades, tail rotor hub, and tail rotor gearbox. The pilot and four passengers were not injured and exited the helicopter normally through the doors on the right side of the helicopter. There were no injuries to any of the persons on board the ship.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen a different landing approach to avoid obstacles.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 15 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents15

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