GLSNightPilot
A SAR a/c is available in that area. Last time I was there, Cougar Helicopters had a SAR equiped S-61 sitting in Galliano on contract with BP/Shell.
The greater issue here is why it took so long for PHI to react to the fact that a machine was down or not reporting. I know a customers who use Blue sky tracking and in their case an alarm will sound after 5 min if the a/c is not reporting.
The next question would be why the rad alt was not set by the crew to eg. 150 ft. About 2 years ago another s-76 flew into the water at night down there. The a/c started a gentle descent that was never caught by the crew till they hit the water. In their case i think the rad alt was u/s. February 2005 a crew flew a Bell 222 ? into the water on approach to a ship at night off Galveston.
All 3 these cases was 2 pilot operations, so what is lacking? Not enough training, lack of SOP's or just a failure to follow SOP's.
Reading about incidents like these maybe stresses the point that SOP's are there for a reason. It's a reminder, to me in any case, that short cuts might not always be the best way to get there.
Fly safe and keep the right side up.
