Bell 222B accident near Gulf Of Mexico, GM, February 19, 2006
On February 19, 2006 at about 8:00 am local time, a Bell 222B (helicopter), registered N306CH, was destroyed in an accident near Gulf Of Mexico, GM. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew's failure to maintain control of the helicopter, and the crew's diverted attention to secondary tasks while preparing for the night landing. A contributing factor was the dark night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 2006 · about 8:00 am local time
- Place
- Gulf Of Mexico, GM
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 222B · all 222Bs on the register
- Registration
- N306CH · no longer on the register · serial 47131
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 11,308-hour airline transport pilot and copilot were preparing to land on a brightly lit ship, at night with haze, with a 25-knot wind. With the autopilot engaged, the pilot turned on the landing light, set the parking brake, and extended the landing gear. During the transition, the pilot's attention was turned inside the helicopter's flightdeck to prepare for the ship landing. The copilot was busy looking for paperwork and preparing to assist the ship's crew once on deck. The pilot disengaged the autopilot system and pressed the SAS/ATT (Stability Augmentation System/Attitude Retention System) button to change from attitude mode to SAS mode, when he looked up just in time to see the water. The helicopter impacted the water, and sank in approximately 200 feet of water. The helicopter was not recovered. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the helicopter prior to the accident.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,308 hours in all; 204 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 9,046 as pilot in command; 695 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,123 hours in all; 153 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2,888 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,133 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 1, 2006
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HOU Houston TX at 6:04 am
- Destination: Gulf Of Mexico GM
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 320° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.