Aerospatiale AS-350-BA accident near Venice, Louisiana, January 9, 2003
On January 9, 2003 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350-BA (helicopter), registered N22TV, was destroyed in an accident near Venice, Louisiana. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 4 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of tail rotor drive as a result of baggage coming in contact with the tail rotor blades after the aft cargo door was not secured. A contributing factor was the passenger's failure to follow the procedures for properly securing the helicopter's doors and latches.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 2003 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Venice, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-350-BA · all AS-350-BAs on the register
- Registration
- N22TV · no longer on the register · serial 1591
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the initial descent, at 800 feet agl, the pilot felt a shudder and heard a noise from the helicopter. One of the passengers reported he observed the right baggage door was open and flapping. The helicopter began to yaw to the left, then started to spin, and the pilot inititated an autorotation to the water. Subsequently, the helicopter impacted the water and came to rest partially submerged. The left side float deployed; however, the right side float was not activated. Prior to the accident flight and the engine operating, the pilot dropped off a passenger, another passenger loaded his baggage in the right aft cargo compartment and boarded the helicopter. According to the pilot, the passenger had received a safety briefing regarding the operation of the helicopter's doors and latches. Examination of the helicopter revealed the lower forward latch had been closed; however, it did not engage and secure the door to the striker plate and fiberglass door frame. The tail rotor blades and vertical fin exhibited scratch marks and residual white material that was consistent with foreign object debris (FOD). The one-piece tail rotor drive shaft was sheared just aft of the splined portion of the drive shaft. The failure of the right float was not determined.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,932 hours in all; 580 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 31, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,390.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 15, 2002; 58.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 1B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Main Pass 61A GM at 8:40 pm
- Destination: 11LA Venice
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 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.