Bell 206B accident near So. Marsh 275, April 23, 1991
On April 23, 1991 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N213AL, was destroyed in an accident near So. Marsh 275. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INFLIGHT STRUCTURAL FAILURE AND SEPARATION OF THE VERTICAL FIN WHICH LED TO A LOSS OF CONTROL AND MAST BUMPING. THE FAILURE OF THE FIN WAS DUE TO INADEQUATE CORROSION CONTROL EFFORTS BY THE OPERATOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1991 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- So. Marsh 275
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N213AL · registry record · serial 1066
- 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
THE PILOT DID NOT MAKE THE REQUIRED 15 MINUTE RADIO CHECK AFTER DEPARTURE FROM AN OFFSHORE RIG AND A RADIO AND AIR SEARCH WAS INITIATED. ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER, DEBRIS WAS FOUND FLOATING ABOUT THREE MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT. RECOVERED DEBRIS INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD EXPERIENCED AN INFLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE VERTICAL FIN AND SUBSEQUENT MAST BUMPING. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE VERTICAL FIN ATTACHMENT FITTINGS REVEALED THAT THEY HAD SEPARATED DUE TO FATIGUE INDUCED BY CORROSION AND CORROSION PITTING. THE EXAMINATION ALSO REVEALED THAT THE OPERATOR HAD UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO COMBAT THE CORROSION DURING A REFURBISHMENT OF THE AIRFRAME. ALL OF THE FATIGUE FRACTURES APPEARED OLD AND ONE HAD PAINT IN THE FRACTURE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,971 hours in all; 265 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 1,883 as pilot in command; 378 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,375 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 2, 1991; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,822 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Offshore Logistics, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE S. Marsh 261 GM
- Destination: NONE Ewing Banks 947 GM
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.