Agusta Aerospace CORP AW119 MKII accident near Gulf Of Mexico, February 20, 2015
On February 20, 2015 at about 1:50 pm local time, a Agusta Aerospace CORP AW119 MKII (helicopter), registered N802SM, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Gulf Of Mexico (Houma-Terrebonne airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fracture of the tail rotor pitch change link due to excessive bearing rotational friction, which resulted from the bearings being installed in exceedance of the maximum allowable torque during the last overhaul of the pitch change link.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2015 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- Gulf Of Mexico · Houma-Terrebonne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Agusta Aerospace CORP AW119 MKII NO SERIES · all AW119 MKIIs on the register
- Registration
- N802SM · registry record · serial 14711
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting an on-demand air taxi helicopter flight. The pilot reported that, while in cruise flight over water, the helicopter experienced an abrupt, uncommanded left yaw. The pilot returned to the departure airport and performed a run-on landing. A postflight examination of the helicopter revealed that one of the tail rotor pitch change links (PCL) was fractured. A review of maintenance records revealed that the fractured PCL had recently been overhauled and installed on the helicopter and that it failed 14.8 flight hours since overhaul. Examination of the PCL revealed that it had fractured due to undetected fatigue cracking that appeared to be the result of bending loads caused by stiff bearings. The stiffness was likely the result of the lack of control of the bearing replacement process. The PCL bearing replacement procedures, which incorporated rotational torque inspection and bearing staking procedures, were contained in the overhaul manual; these procedures were revised about 3 months before the accident, and the overhaul facility used the revised procedures during the replacement of the PCL. Examination of the PCL revealed that both of the bearings exceeded the maximum allowable rotational torque by at least two times the maximum allowed. Based on the findings of this investigation, the PCL manufacturer corrected the figure in the PCL replacement procedures to display the correct method of inspecting spherical bearing rotational torque.
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
- Flight control sys malf/fail during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Tail rotor › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Tail rotor › (general) › Failure
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Repair › Other/unknown
- Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Documentation/record keeping › Maintenance records › Manufacturer
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pwc PT6B-37A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Era Helicopters LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HUM Houma LA at 1:20 pm
- Destination: Gulf Of Mexico GM
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from KHUM, 72 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN15LA156.