Summary
On December 05, 1999, a Bell 206L-1 (N600CK) was involved in an accident near Ship Shoal 225. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The loss of power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the rough water condition.
On December 5, 1999, at 0745 central standard time, a Bell 206L-1 helicopter, N600CK, registered to Evergreen Equity, Inc., of McMinnville, Oregon, and operated by Evergreen Helicopters International of Galveston, Texas, sank after landing on the water, following a loss of engine power near Ship Shoal 225, which is located in the Gulf of Mexico. The airline transport pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 nonscheduled flight.
This accident is documented in NTSB report FTW00LA040. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N600CK.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The loss of power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the rough water condition.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On December 5, 1999, at 0745 central standard time, a Bell 206L-1 helicopter, N600CK, registered to Evergreen Equity, Inc., of McMinnville, Oregon, and operated by Evergreen Helicopters International of Galveston, Texas, sank after landing on the water, following a loss of engine power near Ship Shoal 225, which is located in the Gulf of Mexico. The airline transport pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 nonscheduled flight. The flight originated from platform 89 located in the Ship Shoal 225 area, at 0740, and was destined for a platform in the Ship Shoal 222 area.
The operator reported that when the helicopter was about halfway to its intended destination, approximately 150 feet above the water, the engine lost power. The pilot initiated an autorotation to the water and deployed the floats. The helicopter landed "hard," but remained upright and afloat. The pilot got the emergency raft from the cabin and inflated it. After getting into the raft, the waves, which were estimated at 6-8 feet, overturned the helicopter, and it sank in 160 feet of water.
The helicopter was not recovered, therefore, the reason for the loss of power could not be determined. Several weeks after the accident, a fisherman recovered in his net, the portion of the tail boom aft of the horizontal stabilizer.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# FTW00LA040