Bell 206B3 accident near Block 651A, July 26, 1992
On July 26, 1992 at about 4:13 pm local time, a Bell 206B3 (helicopter), registered N2072B, was destroyed in an accident near Block 651A (Block 651-A airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH DURING THE APPROACH WHICH LED TO AN EXCESSIVE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE DURING THE LANDING FLARE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1992 · about 4:13 pm local time
- Place
- Block 651A · Block 651-A
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B3 · all 206B3s on the register
- Registration
- N2072B · no longer on the register · serial 3450
- 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 WAS EXECUTING AN APPROACH TO A PLATFORM IN THE GULF OF MEXICO TO PICK UP TWO PASSENGERS. A NOSE HIGH FLARE WAS OBSERVED BY THE AWAITING PASSENGERS AND THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE FENCE GUARD AROUND THE HELIDECK. CONTROL WAS LOST AS THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY AND GEAR BOX SEPARATED FROM THE TAILBOOM. THE HELICOPTER SPUN OFF THE HELIDECK FALLING TO THE OCEAN BELOW.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 16,431 hours in all; 6,430 in this make and model; 106 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,910 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 10, 1992; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250C-20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Block 672A GM at 4:05 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from PSX, 44 miles away
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.