Bell 206L-1 accident near Vencie, Louisiana, January 13, 1984
On January 13, 1984 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N5759M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vencie, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1984 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Vencie, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5759M · no longer on the register · serial 45555
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE TOOK OFF FROM A CAME SITE TO PICK UP DUCK HUNTERS AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS. DURING THE FLT, HE ENCOUNTERED FOG & TURNED TOWARD VENICE, LA TO LAND. HE THEN SAW AN OIL FIELD STRUCTURE & SOME LAND & ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. WHILE MAKING AN OVER WATER APCH, HE WAS LOOKING AT THE OIL FIELD STRUCTURE & THE BANK WHEN THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN IN THE WATER & ROLLED OVER. THE OCCUPANTS WERE RESCUED BY DUCK HUNTERS IN THE AREA. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 300 FT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,305 hours in all; 555 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 802 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 30, 1983; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Venice LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.