On September 1, 1988, a Bell 206B (registration N5747Z) was involved in an aviation accident near West Cameron 28. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to remove the aft tie-downs before lift-off, which caused the helicopter to become airborne in a nose-high attitude and slide into the water. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A helicopter lifted off a drilling platform in a nose-high attitude, settled onto a safety fence, and slid backward into the water due to improper tie-down removal.
What happened
The pilot landed the helicopter on a drilling platform and directed the mechanic to install only the forward tie-downs. The mechanic secured both the forward and aft tie-downs as well as the forward rotor blades. When the pilot returned to the aircraft, he removed the rotor blade tie-down and the forward tie-downs but left the aft tie-downs attached. After lift-off, the helicopter became airborne in a nose-high attitude, settled back on the safety fence, and slid backward into the water.
The investigation
The sequence of events indicates that the failure to remove all tie-downs contributed to the abnormal flight dynamics during initial climb.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to remove the aft tie-downs before lift-off, which caused the helicopter to become airborne in a nose-high attitude and slide into the water.
What happened in the 1 Sept 1988 Bell 206B accident near West Cameron 28?
A helicopter lifted off a drilling platform in a nose-high attitude, settled onto a safety fence, and slid backward into the water due to improper tie-down removal.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 1 Sept 1988 involved a Bell 206B, registration N5747Z, at West Cameron 28.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
The pilot's failure to remove the aft tie-downs before lift-off, which caused the helicopter to become airborne in a nose-high attitude and slide into the water.
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