On April 9, 1992, a Bell 206L-3 (registration N6610L) operated by Petroleum Helicopters Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Venice, LA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's loss of consciousness due to food poisoning from consuming spoiled fish, which resulted in the loss of control of the helicopter. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A helicopter carrying five people crashed into the water after the pilot became ill and lost consciousness during a precautionary landing attempt.
What happened
A helicopter was operating en route to an offshore platform with four passengers aboard. During the flight, the pilot began to experience severe medical symptoms. As he attempted to descend for a precautionary landing on the water, he became unconscious and lost control of the aircraft, resulting in a crash.
The investigation
Investigations into the incident revealed that the pilot had consumed fish that was one day old, which he had prepared the previous night for dinner. This consumption led to food poisoning, which caused his sudden incapacitation during the critical phase of flight.
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of consciousness due to food poisoning from consuming spoiled fish, which resulted in the loss of control of the helicopter.
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