Bell 206L-3 accident near Venice, Louisiana, October 14, 1996
On October 14, 1996 at about 12:20 pm local time, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered N21497, was substantially damaged in an accident near Venice, Louisiana (Shell Heliport airport). 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
a loss of engine power due to frogs being ingested into the engine as a result of the pilots failure to perform a thorough preflight, and the pilot's improper touchdown technique.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1996 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Venice, Louisiana · Shell Heliport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- N21497 · no longer on the register · serial 51518
- 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 takeoff, approximately 50 feet AGL, the pilot heard a 'big pop and the helicopter was shaky and noisy.' He initiated a deceleration due to the wires in front of the helicopter. During the landing, 'a main rotor blade flexed down and severed the tailboom.' Throughout the forced landing the pilot had tail rotor pedal control. An examination of the engine by the operator revealed that frogs had been ingested.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,967 hours in all; 10,807 in this make and model; 198 in the last 90 days; 63 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,862 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 11, 1996; 9 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
- Departed from: NONE at 12:20 pm
- Destination: South Pass 65C GM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.