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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 1991 · about 5:20 pm local time
- 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 · no longer on the register · 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
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.