Bell 206B accident near High Island 467, October 25, 1993
On October 25, 1993 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N22841, was substantially damaged in an accident near High Island 467. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WERE THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND HIS FAILURE TO REMOVE ALL OF THE AIRCRAFT TIE-DOWNS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 25, 1993 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- High Island 467
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N22841 · registry record · serial 3641
- 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
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT, UPON TAKEOFF FROM THE OFFSHORE PLATFORM, THE AIRCRAFT 'PITCHED NOSE DOWN AND BEGAN TO SPIN UNCONTROLLABLY.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE LEFT FRONT AIRCRAFT TIE-DOWN HAD NOT BEEN REMOVED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF.
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: 3,631 hours in all; 2,062 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 2,531 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,575 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 19, 1993; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 7R5 Cameron LA
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.