What happened
The incident occurred while a helicopter was conducting an approach to a fixed platform located in the Gulf of Mexico. The mission involved picking up two passengers awaiting on the helideck. As the aircraft neared the landing area, observers on the platform noted a nose-high flare maneuver. During this phase of the approach, the tail rotor blades made contact with the fence guard surrounding the helideck.
The impact caused immediate structural failure. The tail rotor assembly and gearbox separated from the tailboom, resulting in a total loss of directional control. Unable to maintain stability, the helicopter spun off the edge of the helideck and fell into the ocean below.
The investigation
The available source material does not provide detailed mechanical findings or inspection results beyond the immediate observation of the separation. The primary factual finding is that the tail rotor blades struck the fence guard during the approach flare, leading to the separation of the tail rotor assembly and gearbox from the tailboom.
Findings
The critical factor in this accident was the contact between the rotating tail rotor blades and the helideck fence guard. This collision occurred during a nose-high flare maneuver, which likely reduced the clearance between the tail rotor disk and the platform structure. The separation of the tail rotor assembly and gearbox from the tailboom resulted in an uncontrollable spin and subsequent loss of the aircraft into the water.
Safety message
Operators and pilots must ensure that approach profiles, particularly flare maneuvers, maintain adequate clearance with helideck structures such as fence guards. Understanding the specific geometry of the landing platform is essential to prevent tail rotor strikes during final approach phases.