Bell 222B accident near Gulf Of Mexico, Texas, April 8, 2009
On April 8, 2009 at about 10:06 pm local time, a Bell 222B (helicopter), registered N309CH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Gulf Of Mexico, Texas (Scholes International Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from obstructions while landing on a shipboard helipad.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2009 · about 10:06 pm local time
- Place
- Gulf Of Mexico, Texas · Scholes International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 222B · all 222Bs on the register
- Registration
- N309CH · no longer on the register · serial 47141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incomplete action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Airport structure › Awareness of condition
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Personality/attitude › Complacency › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,130 hours in all; 322 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 9,000 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 5, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,905 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 4, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 8,250 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming LTS 101-750 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LTS 101-750 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Central Helicopter Service INC
The flight
- Departed from: HOU Houston TX at 9:00 pm
- Destination: Gulf Of Mexico TX
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from GLS, 71 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.