Aerospatiale AS350B accident near East Cameron 71, December 9, 1996
On December 9, 1996 at about 8:58 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS350B (helicopter), registered N390MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near East Cameron 71. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from an object (crane/bucket). The gusty wind condition and proximity of the crane/bucket were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1996 · about 8:58 pm local time
- Place
- East Cameron 71
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350B · all AS350Bs on the register
- Registration
- N390MA · registry record · serial 1549
- 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 hovered the helicopter about 3 feet above the helipad of an offshore platform, and initiated a pedal turn to keep the tailrotor clear of the stairwell and to align the helicopter into the wind for the landing. During the turn, the tailrotor struck a guard on the operator bucket of a crane, and one tail rotor blade separated from the helicopter. The helicopter rotated (uncontrolled) through 90 degrees of heading change, as the pilot rolled off the throttle and performed an autorotation onto the platform helipad. Winds were from the south at 10 gusting 18 knots.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,391 hours in all; 2,060 in this make and model; 182 in the last 90 days; 91 in the last 30 days; 4,501 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1B1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W. Cameron 238 GM at 8:42 pm
- Destination: E. Cameron 71 GM
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°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.