Bell 206L-3 accident near High Island 138, July 22, 2007
On July 22, 2007 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered N330P, was destroyed in an accident near High Island 138. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of control as result of the pilot's failure to maintain rotor RPM during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2007 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- High Island 138
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- N330P · registry record · serial 51295
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 1,236-hour commercial helicopter pilot, who reported having accumulated 79-hours in the same make and model aircraft, lost control of the helicopter while attempting to takeoff from an offshore platform. The pilot performed a pre-departure check of the engine instruments. He then increased collective to gain altitude, as he lowered the nose of the helicopter to gain forward airspeed, and continued his takeoff run. During the takeoff run, as the helicopter neared the edge of the 28 by 28-foot helipad on the platform, the nose of the helicopter yawed to the left, and the helicopter began to descend. The helicopter's right skid collided with a solar panel mounted to the heliport's railing, and the helicopter continued over the edge of the platform descending vertically into the water, about 70-feet below. The pilot reported that he felt that he had experienced a partial loss of engine power which resulted in his loss of control. The pilot further stated that he did not have time to deploy the skid-mounted emergency floats before the helicopter entered the water, and subsequently sank. The temperature at the time of the mishap was 97 degrees Fahrenheit. At the time of the mishap, the helicopter was calculated to be 50-pounds below its maximum gross weight. A post-accident examination of the helicopter and the powertrain did not reveal any pre-accident mechanical anomalies or discrepancies.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,236 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 1,236 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,544 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Gulf Of Mexico at 7:50 pm
- Destination: LAF Layfayette LA
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N330P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.