Bell 206L-1 accident near W.Cameron 266, December 9, 1990
On December 9, 1990 at about 2:42 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N5753B, was destroyed in an accident near W.Cameron 266 (W. Cameron 266 airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE HELICOPTER'S AFT LANDING GEAR CROSSTUBE ASSEMBLY DUE TO FATIGUE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1990 · about 2:42 pm local time
- Place
- W.Cameron 266 · W. Cameron 266
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5753B · no longer on the register · serial 45514
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN ATP RATED HELICOPTER PILOT WAS LANDING ON A HELIPAD ATOP AN OIL PLATFORM IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT REAR LANDING SKID COLLAPSED CAUSING THE TAIL ROTOR TO STRIKE THE DECK. AS THE PILOT APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO LEVEL THE AIRCRAFT, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED SPINNING. THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE DECK AND SEPARATED AS THE FUSELAGE SPUN OFF THE HELIDECK, LANDING ON A LOWER DECK. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO HIGH CYCLE LOW STRESS FATIGUE.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,049 hours in all; 6,016 in this make and model; 245 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days; 8,796 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,050 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Industrial Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.