Bell 206L-1 accident near Venice, Louisiana, January 24, 1984
On January 24, 1984 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N5745M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Venice, Louisiana. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 6 people had minor injuries. 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 24, 1984 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Venice, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5745M · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 10 MIN AFTER DEPARTING AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM, THE PLT ENCOUNTERED AN AREA OF FOG. HE DESCENDED TO APRX 200 FT, SLOWED TO 40 KTS & STARTED TURNING BACK. AS HE WAS TURNING, HE WAS LOOKING TO THE RIGHT TO LOCATE A PETROLEUM PRODUCTION FACILITY TO USE AS A REFERENCE POINT WHEN THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE WATER & CRASHED. NO SERIOUS INJURIES OCCURRED, BUT RESCUE WAS DELAYED ABOUT 5 HRS DUE TO DETERIORATING WX.
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; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,881 hours in all; 1,867 in this make and model; 143 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Petroleum Helicopters INC
The flight
- Departed from: Main Pass Blk77 GM
- Destination: Venice LA
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.