Bell 206 L-1 accident near Cameron, Louisiana, July 17, 2004
On July 17, 2004 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Bell 206 L-1 (helicopter), registered N1078C, was destroyed in an accident near Cameron, Louisiana (Cameron, La (Private Helipad) airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The helicopter's in-flight collision with water for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2004 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cameron, Louisiana · Cameron, La (Private Helipad) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206 L-1 · all 206 L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N1078C · no longer on the register · serial 45392
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 18,056-hour pilot made a mayday distress call on the common traffic advisory frequency stating that "he was going down." No further radio transmissions were received from the pilot. The helicopter impacted the water about 8 miles short of it intended destination. The positioning flight was scheduled from an offshore oil platform to the company's on-shore operations base. Signatures of the recovered wreckage were consistent with an uncontrolled impact with the water. There were no reported eyewitnesses to the accident, and no significant weather was reported in the area at the time of the accident. No mechanical anomalies were found with the airframe or the engine during the course of the investigation. The engine teardown examination at the engine manufacturer's factory did not reveal any anomalies that could have prevented normal operations. Several helicopter components and parts were further examined at the helicopter manufacturer's laboratory. No anomalies or pre-existing faults were found with any of the examined parts.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,056 hours in all; 10,530 in this make and model; 17,856 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 24, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 22,658.5 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 14, 2004; 7.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wc 645 GM at 1:38 pm
- Destination: Cameron LA
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 3:12 pm from K7R5, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.