Bell 222A accident near Charenton, Louisiana, October 17, 1985
On October 17, 1985 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Bell 222A (helicopter), registered N5013H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charenton, Louisiana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- October 17, 1985 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Charenton, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 222A · all 222As on the register
- Registration
- N5013H · no longer on the register · serial 47010
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER HAD JUST COMPLETED A PHASE TWO CHECK, TWENTY MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE OCCUPANTS HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND A SEVERE ONE-TO-ONE VIBRATION ENSUED. A SUCCESSFUL EMERGENCY LANDING WAS PERFORMED. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT ONE SWASH PLATE DRIVE LINK HAD DISCONNECTED. THE MECHANIC STATED HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO TORQUE AND SAFETY A RETAINING NUT.
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: 6,194 hours in all; 1,618 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 4,257 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,894 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 15, 1985; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,850 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTS 101-650C2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHI Lafayette LA at 2:40 pm
- Destination: 7R3 Morgan City LA
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from 7R3, 12 miles away
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.