Bell 412 accident near Cameron, Louisiana, December 3, 1993
On December 3, 1993 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Bell 412 (helicopter), registered N356EH, was destroyed in an accident near Cameron, Louisiana. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE COPILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE CAPTAIN'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION. THE HAZE AND FOG WERE FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 1993 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cameron, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 412 · all 412s on the register
- Registration
- N356EH · no longer on the register · serial 33072
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN APPROACH TO A HELIPORT, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE 300 YARDS SHORT OF ITS INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT. FOLLOWING THE GROUND IMPACT THE HELICOPTER WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. WEATHER AT THE TIME INCLUDED GROUND FOG AND HAZE. THE COPILOT WAS FLYING THE APPROACH. DUE TO FOG AND HAZE, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH LIGHTS AT THE LANDING SITE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,766 hours in all; 2,165 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,214 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 2, 1993; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,500 lb
- Seats: 15
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6T-3B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: South Marsh 147 GM at 10:51 pm
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 215° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 400 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:50 am from LCH, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.