Bell 430 accident near West Delta 109, January 5, 2014
On January 5, 2014 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 2002 Bell 430 (helicopter), registered N430CT, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near West Delta 109 (West Delta 109 airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 tail rotor clearance from a handrail on a crane davit on an oil platform during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 2014 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- West Delta 109 · West Delta 109 · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 430, built 2002 · all 430s on the register
- Registration
- N430CT · no longer on the register · serial 49089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (hover)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Tail rotor › Tail rotor blade › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,047 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 103 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 8,310 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,122 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 23, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 9,300 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royce 250-C40B (turboshaft); 8,154 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royce 250-C40B (turboshaft); 7,528 hours total
- Operator: Chevron U S A INC
The flight
- Departed from: Mp313 GM at 3:30 pm
- Destination: West Delta 109 GM
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: vv
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from BVE, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.