N595RL

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn December 29, 2022, about 0832 central standard time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N595RL, was substantially damaged during takeoff from an offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The pilot and 3 passengers were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 flight.

According to a review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) track data and video/parametric data recovered from a cockpit recorder, about 0748, the helicopter departed the Rotorcraft Leasing Company LLC (RLC) base located at South Lafourche Leonard Miller Jr. Airport (GAO), Galliano, Louisiana, for a visual flight rules (VFR) passenger flight to the West Delta 106 (WD-106) offshore production platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The direct flight path to WD-106 was 51.3 nautical miles southeast of GAO.

A review of the cockpit video and recorded parametric data established that the 38-minute flight from GAO to WD-106 was uneventful. About 0826, the helicopter landed on the platform’s helideck on a magnetic heading of about 145° and then the engine power reduced to about idle. The pilot landed on a southeast heading. The 4 passengers exited from the left side of the helicopter, retrieved their baggage and a 70-lb box, and then proceeded below the helideck, where they had a short discussion with the platform workers scheduled to return to the mainland. Then 3 platform workers boarded the helicopter for the return flight to GAO. Based on the cockpit video footage, the pilot remained in the helicopter and there was no evidence of any mechanical abnormalities with the helicopter from the time the inbound passengers exited the helicopter to when the outbound passengers subsequently boarded the helicopter.

About 0831, the helicopter was still on the helideck with the aiming circle visible through the helicopter’s pilot-side chin bubble. The aiming circle intersected the lower section of the instrument panel. Additionally, the helideck’s south perimeter light was visible through the lower-portion of the pilot-side windshield.

At 0832:18, the pilot began to advance the engine throttle for takeoff. About 20 seconds later, the dual tachometer indicated 100% for engine and main rotor speed, and all engine and system instruments were within their normal operating ranges. At 0832:46, the helicopter began to move, consistent with getting light on the skids, and the engine torque began to increase. About 5 seconds later, the south light disappeared from view as the helicopter’s nose appeared to move right in conjunction with an increase in right roll. At that time, the engine torque was between 50-60%.

Between 0832:51 and the end of recorded video/parametric data at 0832:53, the helicopter continued to increase in right roll while the engine torque increased to about 75%. The camera’s view of the instrument panel was obscured during the final moments of the video, but the parametric data indicated that the helicopter was about 2 ft above the helideck, rolled right about 32°, with a right roll rate of about 68 degrees per second when the device stopped recording.

One of the passengers used his mobile phone to capture video during the takeoff. The passenger, who was seated in the forward-facing seat on the left side of the passenger cabin, took the video looking out the left side of the helicopter. A review of the video footage revealed that the helicopter remained stationary while the engine and rotor RPM noise increased, consistent with engine and rotor speed increasing from idle to takeoff power/speed. The helicopter began to ascend with no apparent drift left or right nor forward or back. However, about 1.5 seconds after the helicopter began to ascend, the left skid appeared in the view as the helicopter entered a right roll. There were fragments of what appeared to be main rotor blade material visible in the air during the final moments of the passenger video.

There were no eyewitnesses or surveillance video of the helicopter departing the WD-106 helideck; however, there were several individuals inside the galley who reported hearing the helicopter operating on the helideck above their position. The individuals stated that the helicopter’s engine continued to run after it landed, and that they heard the engine noise increase for takeoff and then the sound of items hitting the platform. None of the individuals interviewed witnessed the helicopter contact the platform or its descent to the water. However, one individual stated that he and others exited the galley within seconds and saw bubbles rising from the water and the helicopter floating upside down. Three of the employees manned the platform’s enclosed survival craft and were lowered to the water to reach the helicopter and render assistance to the four occupants who remained inside the fuselage; however, due to concerns about debris in the water, the survival craft did not reach the helicopter before it sank. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot was hired by RLC on September 12, 2022. When he submitted his resume for employment, the pilot reported a total flight experience of 1,512 hours in helicopters, of which 1,188 hours were flown as PIC. He previously worked for five helicopter operators, and had flight experience in Robinson, Guimbal, Bell, and Sikorsky helicopters.

On September 28, 2022, the pilot completed his RLC initial ground training and initial flight training, and then was subsequently assigned as a VFR pilot-in-command (PIC) in the Bell 407 helicopter. The training included the pilot’s initial pilot testing (per Title 14 CFR Part 135.293) , PIC instrument proficiency check (Part 135.297), and PIC line check (Part 135.299).

Flight grade slips dated September 13, 18, 19, 20, and 23, 2022, evaluated the pilot as satisfactory in the task “Dynamic Rollover (Oral).” Additional grade slips dated September 19, 20, 24, and 27, 2022, evaluated the pilot as satisfactory in “Pinnacles or Platform.”

The pilot’s total flight experience in helicopters, including the 155.8 flight hours flown while employed by RLC, was 1,667.8 hours, of which 1,343.8 hours were flown as PIC. A review of RLC flight records revealed that the pilot had operated to and from WD-106 a total of 23 times. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONAccording to the RLC Director of Training, after considering the weights of the pilot and passengers, their seating arrangements in the helicopter, the weight of their personal baggage, and the estimated fuel quantity remaining at the time of the accident, the helicopter was loaded in accordance with the General Operations Manual (GOM). AIRPORT INFORMATIONAccording to the RLC Director of Training, after considering the weights of the pilot and passengers, their seating arrangements in the helicopter, the weight of their personal baggage, and the estimated fuel quantity remaining at the time of the accident, the helicopter was loaded in accordance with the General Operations Manual (GOM). WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONExamination of the WD-106 production platform after the accident revealed composite debris scattered throughout the multiple levels of the platform. The scattered debris was consistent with the internal materials used in helicopter main rotor blades. A majority of one main rotor blade, identified as serial number A-1532, was located on the cellar deck, two levels below the helideck, resting against a metal handrail. The handrail exhibited a downward bend near the location the blade. Three pieces of lead weight, consistent with blade weights, were also found on the cellar deck near the blade. Multiple pieces of dark tinted acrylic, consistent with the cabin roof windows of the helicopter were found in the same location. The acrylic shards exhibited red color transfer consistent with the red paint of the stairwell. The helicopter’s upper hydraulic servo cover, normally located above the cockpit, also exhibited the same red color transfer. Sections of the tail rotor were found on the main deck below the helideck. No specific object on the platform could be conclusively identified as the contact point with the tail rotor.

Further examination of the helideck revealed that the center blue light assembly on the northwest elevation of the helideck was damaged but still attached to its 6 inch by 6 inch light mount. Although the light remained installed on the mount, its blue glass globe was fragmented and the metal protective guard for the globe was significantly deformed and bent toward the stairwell, as shown in Figure 2. After the accident, a platform employee removed the damaged light assembly from the mount out of concern for safety during future use of the helideck. The amber light, located on the west corner of the helideck, near the stairwell, separated from its mount and was not recovered. The remaining perimeter lights appeared undamaged.

The red paint around the stairwell exhibited scratches and gouges. The safety skirting that bordered the stairwell (northwest and southwest sides) was damaged. There were multiple impact marks on the metal frame of the helideck around and below the area of the damaged safety skirting and stairwell.

Two areas of gouges in the paint on the helideck were present. The first area was a row of nine irregularly spaced but inline gouges, as depicted in Figure 3, located inside the aiming circle and adjacent to the “W” icon logo painted on the helideck. The second area was a group of five irregularly spaced gouges, found in the black paint of the aiming circle, near the northeast side and near the damaged center light. Figure 4 is an illustration showing the location of the two areas of paint gouges and the damaged light assembly.

Figure 2. Photo (left) of the damaged center perimeter light shortly after the accident (Source: Walter Oil and Gas). Photo (right) of the same light assembly after it was removed from the helideck (Source: NTSB).

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