Bell 206-L1 accident near Vermillion Bay, Louisiana, June 24, 2004
On June 24, 2004 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Bell 206-L1 (helicopter), registered N5006F, was destroyed in an accident near Vermillion Bay, Louisiana. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather conditions resulting in a loss of control. Contributing factors were the prevailing thunderstorms and the pilot's inadequate in flight preparation and planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2004 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Vermillion Bay, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206-L1 · all 206-L1s on the register
- Registration
- N5006F · no longer on the register · serial 45181
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 6,562-hour commercial rated helicopter pilot encountered adverse weather while on a 114-nautical mile over water cross-country flight. The pilot contacted his company's flight following with a normal position report and reported inbound on a Gulf of Mexico operation. Approximately eight minutes later, the accident pilot contacted his company's flight following and changed his destination to another heliport, but did not give a reason for the change of destination. He also reported his estimated time of arrival and that he was 45 miles out. At the helicopters approximate time of arrival, another helicopter pilot monitoring a common VHF radio frequency, overheard a mayday distress call. He then replied by asking for the accident pilot's location, but received no response. A moment later, another mayday distress call was heard followed by, "going in the water." There were no further communications or reported distress calls, and no reported eyewitnesses. A Convective SIGMET advisory was valid at the time of the accident. The SIGMET warned of embedded thunderstorms moving from 220 degrees at 25 knots, with tops above 45,000 feet. This advisory encompassed the area of the accident site. There was no report of the pilot obtaining any formal preflight weather briefing (from a company, flight service station, DUATS or WSI weather program) prior to departure or en route.
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
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23,489.2 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 1, 2004; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Helicopters, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Ei-349 GM at 5:58 pm
- Destination: 0R3 Abbeville LA
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 180° at 25 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,600 ft; scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from ARA
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.
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.