Accident Overview
On April 8, 2009, at 1706 central daylight time, a Bell 222B helicopter, registration N309CH, was substantially damaged when it struck an obstruction while landing on the deck of a ship in the Gulf of Mexico, Texas. The pilot and four passengers were not injured, and no injuries occurred to persons onboard the ship. The helicopter was owned and operated by Central Helicopter Service, Inc., of Houston, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan had been filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand passenger flight.
Sequence of Events
The helicopter had departed William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas, on a visual flight rules flight to the ship, which was anchored approximately 71 nautical miles southeast of Galveston, Texas. During the landing on the "winch only" area, the pilot was being directed by ship's personnel when the helicopter's tail rotor struck a valve assembly protruding from the ship's deck. The helicopter yawed approximately 60 degrees nose to the right, then struck the ship's side rail with the tail, and came to rest upright on the deck.
Damage
The helicopter sustained substantial damage to its fuselage, tail boom, horizontal stabilizer, tail rotor blades, tail rotor hub, and tail rotor gearbox. The ship's side rail and the valve on the deck sustained minor damage. After completing shutdown procedures, the pilot and four passengers exited the helicopter normally through the doors on the right side.
Vessel and Environmental Conditions
The ship was the 870-foot-long Motor Tanker Wilana, based in Oslo, Norway, anchored on a heading of 320 degrees. The pilot conducted the landing approach to the port (left) side of the ship on an approach course of 340 degrees, with estimated surface winds variable from 250 to 305 degrees at 15 knots.
Pilot's Statement
In the pilot's statement, he recommended that "pilots need to use extreme caution when conducting confined-area shipboard landings. Be especially vigilant for obstacles that are painted the same color as the deck."