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Accidents · NTSB FTW91LA112 · Final report

Bell 206L-1 accident near S. Tim 171D, June 30, 1991

On June 30, 1991 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N2772A, was substantially damaged in an accident near S. Tim 171D. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

THE HIGH RATE OF DESCENT AND DELAYED FLARE.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
June 30, 1991 · about 5:20 pm local time · cases in 1991
Place
S. Tim 171D
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
Registration
N2772A · registry record · serial 45311
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

DURING A DAYLIGHT APPROACH TO AN OFFSHORE HELICOPTER LANDING PLATFORM THE PILOT DEVELOPED A HIGH SINK RATE THAT HE COULD NOT ARREST WITH THE APPLICATION OF COLLECTIVE. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD STRADDLING THE SAFETY APRON AND THE LANDING AREA WITH FORWARD VELOCITY. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD AND STRUCK THE TAILBOOM SEVERING IT ONE FOOT AFT OF THE ATTACH POINT.

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: 4,451 hours in all; 2,645 in this make and model; 138 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 3,899 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: 4,150 lb
  • Seats: 7
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
  • Operator: Petroleum Helicopters, INC.

The flight

  • Departed from: NONE Gulf of Mexico GM at 5:15 pm
  • Runway 0

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 030° at 12 knots
  • Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
  • Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew1
Passengers3

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.

Connections how this case links to the rest of the register

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The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW91LA112.json.

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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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.