Incident Overview
A helicopter pilot was on a mission to transport company personnel and landed on a barge used as a helipad. The barge measured approximately 250 feet in length and 75 feet in width. After landing, the pilot parked the helicopter with the tail boom as close to the edge of the barge as possible. He then reduced engine power to idle and signaled for three passengers, who were waiting behind a rope line, to approach the helicopter in accordance with established operating procedures.
Sequence of Events
As the passengers approached the right side of the helicopter, they moved out of the pilot's line of sight. While two of the passengers were boarding, the third passenger walked to the rear of the aircraft, ducked under the horizontal stabilizer, and walked into the tail rotor. The victim was treated at the scene and taken to a hospital, but later succumbed to head and shoulder injuries.
Safety Measures in Place
A training program had been instituted to educate passengers about the hazards associated with rotating components of the rotor system and off-limit areas. The passenger involved had been briefed on three occasions and had been a passenger nearly every day for six weeks prior to the incident.