Bell 206L-3 accident near Venice, Louisiana, April 9, 1992
On April 9, 1992 at about 5:35 pm local time, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered N6610L, was destroyed in an accident near Venice, Louisiana. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed, 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INCAPACITATION DUE TO FOOD POISONING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1992 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Venice, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed, 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- N6610L · no longer on the register · serial 51423
- 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
A HELICOPTER PILOT WITH 4 PASSENGERS ABOARD WAS EN ROUTE TO AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM WHEN HE BECAME ILL. WHILE DESCENDING TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON THE WATER, HE LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AND LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. FOOD POISONING WAS CAUSED BY HIS INGESTION OF SOME DAY OLD FISH HE HAD PREPARED THE PREVIOUS NIGHT FOR DINNER.
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: 9,555 hours in all; 2,180 in this make and model; 174 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 8,816 as pilot in command; 3,151 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,556 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 22, 1992; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Petroleum Helicopters INC.
The flight
- Destination: Main Pass 306 GM
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:37 pm from 7R1, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 1 | 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.