Aerospatiale SA330J accident near Gulf-Of-Mexico, July 14, 1988
On July 14, 1988 at about 12:25 pm local time, a Aerospatiale SA330J (helicopter), registered N47307, was destroyed in an accident near Gulf-Of-Mexico. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured; 14 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
NONE SUBMITTED
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 1988 · about 12:25 pm local time
- Place
- Gulf-Of-Mexico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured; 14 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA330J
- Registration
- N47307 · no longer on the register · serial 1402
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG LIFT-OFF FROM AN OIL PLATFORM IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, THE HELICOPTER BGN A SLOW UNCOMMANDED LEFT TURN. THE PLT TRIED TO FLY IT BY LOWERING THE NOSE & INCREASING COLLECTIVE. AFTER 2 TURNS, THE HELICOPTER SETTLED & IMPACTED THE WATER IN A LEFT BANK, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE AUTO-PLT WAS NOT DISCONNECTED, NOR WERE THE FLOATS INFLATED. NO PREIMPACT MECH FAILURE WAS FOUND. INTERVIEWS REVEALED THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT STABILIZED IN A HOVER BEFORE INITIATING A TAKEOFF. THERE WAS A PREVIOUS WRITE-UP WHICH STATED 'A/C REQUIRES MORE RIGHT PEDAL THAN USUAL IN HOVER AND FORWARD FLIGHT.' IN RESPONSETO THIS WRITE-UP, A MECHANIC HAD ADJUSTED A TUBE WHICH RAN REARWARD FROM THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE AUTO-PILOT SYSTEM. THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL DESCRIBED THIS TUBE AS BEING ONE OF THE 'SEMI-FIXED' RODS. REFERRING TO THESE RODS, THE MANUAL CAUTIONED, 'THEY ARE ADJUSTED ONCE FOR ALL WHEN THEY ARE FITTED TO THE AIRCRAFT. THEY MUST NOT BE ADJUSTED SUBSEQUENTLY.'
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,687 hours in all; 2,075 in this make and model; 204 in the last 90 days; 88 in the last 30 days; 8,044 as pilot in command; 38 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,727 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 9, 1988; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,300 lb
- Seats: 17
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Turbomeca TURMO IVC (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Eugene Island OF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 12 |
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.