S76 down in GOM
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: In my house
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
S76 Missing in GOM
An S76A++ is missing in the GOM. The aircraft operated by Lake Charles LA based ERA Aviation has not been heard from or seen since 19.30 hours last night March 23rd. Coast Guard and other helicopters ar carrying out a search.
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
11 News Texas report
The U.S. Coast Guard is searching the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday morning about 90 miles south of Galveston for a missing helicopter with 10 people onboard.
The ERA Aviation S76 helicopter departed Shoals Field in Galveston at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday en route to the 835-foot exploratory ship Discovery Spirit, located approximately 130 miles east of South Padre Island.
The last reported contact with the helicopter was at 7:12 p.m. Tuesday when the pilot, Tim O'Neal of El Lago, Texas, reported they where en route to the ship. At the time of the radio transmission, the helicopter was approximately 90 miles south of Galveston.
A helicopter and Falcon Jet from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi, and a helicopter form Air Station Houston are searching Wednesday morning, and four merchant ships transiting the area are also assisting the Coast Guard in the search.
The Coast Guard has issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast (UMIB) asking mariners to report any information they may have about the missing helicopter, and to request assistance with the search from any vessels near the search area.
The Discoverer Spirit is a drilling unit designed around the normal hull of a ship.
Coast Guard searches for missing chopper; 10 people aboard
Houston 08:46 AM CST Wed March 24, 2004
Houston 08:46 AM CST Wed March 24, 2004
The U.S. Coast Guard is searching the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday morning about 90 miles south of Galveston for a missing helicopter with 10 people onboard.
The ERA Aviation S76 helicopter departed Shoals Field in Galveston at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday en route to the 835-foot exploratory ship Discovery Spirit, located approximately 130 miles east of South Padre Island.
The last reported contact with the helicopter was at 7:12 p.m. Tuesday when the pilot, Tim O'Neal of El Lago, Texas, reported they where en route to the ship. At the time of the radio transmission, the helicopter was approximately 90 miles south of Galveston.
A helicopter and Falcon Jet from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi, and a helicopter form Air Station Houston are searching Wednesday morning, and four merchant ships transiting the area are also assisting the Coast Guard in the search.
The Coast Guard has issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast (UMIB) asking mariners to report any information they may have about the missing helicopter, and to request assistance with the search from any vessels near the search area.
The Discoverer Spirit is a drilling unit designed around the normal hull of a ship.
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Europe/US
Posts: 346
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
HOUSTON - The Coast Guard was searching the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday for a helicopter that disappeared with 10 people aboard.
The helicopter last had radio contact on Tuesday night when it was about 90 miles south of Galveston. It was heading to an oil exploratory ship in the gulf, Discoverer Spirit.
"We are hoping that something went wrong and they maybe landed on a different platform," Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Adam Wine said. "We are hoping for the best."
No signs of the helicopter were found overnight. There were no reports of bad weather, Wine said.
The pilot, co-pilot and eight passengers were believed to be wearing lifejackets, Coast Guard Petty Officer Andy Kendrick said.
"It just depends on how they landed," Kendrick said. "We just keep searching, hoping they are alive."
Coast Guard officials were searching near a mile-long oil slick 120 miles south of Galveston. Officials did not know what caused the slick.
"We have concentrated our search in that area to see if that might be any indication of where the aircraft might have went down if it went down," Wine said.
Water temperatures in the area average in the upper 60s at this time of year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. An 87-foot patrol boat, four offshore supply vessels and two commercial aircraft were among those helping in the search.
The Coast Guard identified the pilot as Tim O'Neal of El Largo, but did not identify the others. The helicopter is owned by Alaska-based Era Aviation Inc. and was chartered by El Segundo, Calif.-based oil exploration and production company Unocal.
A Unocal spokeswoman said the company was still gathering information early Wednesday.
Mona Morris, who works for Era Aviation in Lake Charles, La., said the company had no further information Wednesday. Guy Cantwell, a spokesman for Transocean Inc., an offshore drilling company, said his company owns the drill ship the helicopter was traveling to, but none of the company's employees were aboard.
The twin-engine helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76A, can hold up to 12 passengers and is described on Era Aviation's Web site as a reliable helicopter that can fly at night and in bad weather.
Era Aviation's employees are trained on sophisticated flight simulators and are taught water survival skills, according to the Web site.
Offshore helicopter flights to oil rigs, platforms and ships are common, said Era Aviation employee Frank Draves.
"There are 600 helicopters or so along the Gulf Coast and they are moving ... thousands of passengers a day from everywhere along the Gulf Coast to everywhere in the Gulf," he said.
___
The helicopter last had radio contact on Tuesday night when it was about 90 miles south of Galveston. It was heading to an oil exploratory ship in the gulf, Discoverer Spirit.
"We are hoping that something went wrong and they maybe landed on a different platform," Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Adam Wine said. "We are hoping for the best."
No signs of the helicopter were found overnight. There were no reports of bad weather, Wine said.
The pilot, co-pilot and eight passengers were believed to be wearing lifejackets, Coast Guard Petty Officer Andy Kendrick said.
"It just depends on how they landed," Kendrick said. "We just keep searching, hoping they are alive."
Coast Guard officials were searching near a mile-long oil slick 120 miles south of Galveston. Officials did not know what caused the slick.
"We have concentrated our search in that area to see if that might be any indication of where the aircraft might have went down if it went down," Wine said.
Water temperatures in the area average in the upper 60s at this time of year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. An 87-foot patrol boat, four offshore supply vessels and two commercial aircraft were among those helping in the search.
The Coast Guard identified the pilot as Tim O'Neal of El Largo, but did not identify the others. The helicopter is owned by Alaska-based Era Aviation Inc. and was chartered by El Segundo, Calif.-based oil exploration and production company Unocal.
A Unocal spokeswoman said the company was still gathering information early Wednesday.
Mona Morris, who works for Era Aviation in Lake Charles, La., said the company had no further information Wednesday. Guy Cantwell, a spokesman for Transocean Inc., an offshore drilling company, said his company owns the drill ship the helicopter was traveling to, but none of the company's employees were aboard.
The twin-engine helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76A, can hold up to 12 passengers and is described on Era Aviation's Web site as a reliable helicopter that can fly at night and in bad weather.
Era Aviation's employees are trained on sophisticated flight simulators and are taught water survival skills, according to the Web site.
Offshore helicopter flights to oil rigs, platforms and ships are common, said Era Aviation employee Frank Draves.
"There are 600 helicopters or so along the Gulf Coast and they are moving ... thousands of passengers a day from everywhere along the Gulf Coast to everywhere in the Gulf," he said.
___
I hope there is good news in the morning.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No good news I'm afraid. The aircraft has reportedly been located and there are casualties. Weather in the Western Gulf was good and is likely not a factor. My thoughts are with family and friends of those onboard.
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Times Picayune report
Coast Guard finds four bodies in search for helicopter
HOUSTON (AP)
HOUSTON (AP)
-- Four bodies believed to be from a helicopter carrying 10 people that vanished in the Gulf of Mexico were found late Wednesday afternoon about 60 miles south of Galveston, where the helicopter departed a day earlier.
An offshore supply vessel assisting in the search discovered two bodies about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Thirty minutes later, a separate debris field and two additional bodies were located nearby. A lifejacket has also been found with the words "Property of Era" on it.
The helicopter was owned by Alaska-based Era Aviation, Inc.
The search continued for the helicopter passengers.
"We are focused on searching and recovering these victims," Coast Guard spokesman Chad Saylor said. "The Coast Guard cutter Manta is en route to the scene to assist it the recovery."
Saylor said the search, which had concentrated on an oil slick about 100 miles south of Galveston, was moving north toward the debris field.
"We hope to find somebody out there alive," Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Adam Wine said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members."
The helicopter last made radio contact Tuesday night about 90 miles south of Galveston. The Discoverer Spirit, located about 130 miles east of South Padre Island, is owned by offshore drilling company Transocean, Inc.
Wine said no bad weather was reported at the time of the helicopter's last call from its pilot shortly after 7 p.m.
The total search area encompassed 2,800 square miles. An 87-foot patrol boat, five offshore supply vessels, two Coast Guard jets, a helicopter and two commercial aircraft were among those searching.
An offshore supply vessel assisting in the search discovered two bodies about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Thirty minutes later, a separate debris field and two additional bodies were located nearby. A lifejacket has also been found with the words "Property of Era" on it.
The helicopter was owned by Alaska-based Era Aviation, Inc.
The search continued for the helicopter passengers.
"We are focused on searching and recovering these victims," Coast Guard spokesman Chad Saylor said. "The Coast Guard cutter Manta is en route to the scene to assist it the recovery."
Saylor said the search, which had concentrated on an oil slick about 100 miles south of Galveston, was moving north toward the debris field.
"We hope to find somebody out there alive," Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Adam Wine said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members."
The helicopter last made radio contact Tuesday night about 90 miles south of Galveston. The Discoverer Spirit, located about 130 miles east of South Padre Island, is owned by offshore drilling company Transocean, Inc.
Wine said no bad weather was reported at the time of the helicopter's last call from its pilot shortly after 7 p.m.
The total search area encompassed 2,800 square miles. An 87-foot patrol boat, five offshore supply vessels, two Coast Guard jets, a helicopter and two commercial aircraft were among those searching.
PPRuNe Time
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Australia
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Search for missing helicopter stalls
By MARK BABINECK
The Associated Press
3/25/04 4:31 PM
HOUSTON (AP) -- Prospects for finding survivors from a missing helicopter dimmed Thursday as searchers came up empty a day after finding four bodies and pieces of wreckage.
The Era Aviation Inc. helicopter last reported in at about 7 p.m. Tuesday as it ferried two pilots and eight contractors to a drilling ship in the western Gulf of Mexico. Among the items found floating Wednesday about 60 miles south of Galveston was an Era life jacket.
According to Chief Warrant Officer Adam Wine of the Coast Guard, a normally clothed person could expect to last about 30 hours in the Gulf waters, where temperatures are estimated in the upper 60s.
"But individuals can often overcome more," Wine said.
A Coast Guard jet used infrared scanners to search through Wednesday night and early Thursday. Helicopters hit the air for a second day shortly after dawn but had come up empty as of early Thursday afternoon.
"We are actively searching," Wine said. "There are still people out there."
High seas hampered ship-based efforts Thursday morning, Wine said.
The Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office on Thursday identified the bodies as helicopter pilot Tim B. O'Neal, 50, of El Lago, Texas; co-pilot Donald J. Janning, 46, of Monument, Colo.; and contractors Trampas Terwillegar, 27, from Rayne, La.; and Tyler Breaux, 23, hometown unknown.
Among the six still missing were contractors Jason Petitjean, 34, of Rayne, and David Kamolsiri, 24, of Houston. The names of the other four passengers have not been released.
More debris was discovered Thursday morning in the search for the twin-engine helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76A that was headed to the ship Discoverer Spirit. The ship, owned by Houston-based Transocean Inc., is working about 130 miles east of South Padre Island.
All aboard the helicopter were believed to be wearing life jackets, Coast Guard Petty Officer Andy Kendrick said.
The helicopter was chartered by El Segundo, Calif.-based oil exploration and production company Unocal. The passengers were contractors hired by Unocal: Four were employees of Halliburton Co., two were from Offshore Energy Services, one from Dril-Quip and one from Unocal.
By MARK BABINECK
The Associated Press
3/25/04 4:31 PM
HOUSTON (AP) -- Prospects for finding survivors from a missing helicopter dimmed Thursday as searchers came up empty a day after finding four bodies and pieces of wreckage.
The Era Aviation Inc. helicopter last reported in at about 7 p.m. Tuesday as it ferried two pilots and eight contractors to a drilling ship in the western Gulf of Mexico. Among the items found floating Wednesday about 60 miles south of Galveston was an Era life jacket.
According to Chief Warrant Officer Adam Wine of the Coast Guard, a normally clothed person could expect to last about 30 hours in the Gulf waters, where temperatures are estimated in the upper 60s.
"But individuals can often overcome more," Wine said.
A Coast Guard jet used infrared scanners to search through Wednesday night and early Thursday. Helicopters hit the air for a second day shortly after dawn but had come up empty as of early Thursday afternoon.
"We are actively searching," Wine said. "There are still people out there."
High seas hampered ship-based efforts Thursday morning, Wine said.
The Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office on Thursday identified the bodies as helicopter pilot Tim B. O'Neal, 50, of El Lago, Texas; co-pilot Donald J. Janning, 46, of Monument, Colo.; and contractors Trampas Terwillegar, 27, from Rayne, La.; and Tyler Breaux, 23, hometown unknown.
Among the six still missing were contractors Jason Petitjean, 34, of Rayne, and David Kamolsiri, 24, of Houston. The names of the other four passengers have not been released.
More debris was discovered Thursday morning in the search for the twin-engine helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76A that was headed to the ship Discoverer Spirit. The ship, owned by Houston-based Transocean Inc., is working about 130 miles east of South Padre Island.
All aboard the helicopter were believed to be wearing life jackets, Coast Guard Petty Officer Andy Kendrick said.
The helicopter was chartered by El Segundo, Calif.-based oil exploration and production company Unocal. The passengers were contractors hired by Unocal: Four were employees of Halliburton Co., two were from Offshore Energy Services, one from Dril-Quip and one from Unocal.
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland
Posts: 943
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sad to read about yet another offshore tragedy. I hope they can find the 76 and then the cause and work out a way to prevent a repeat. It sounds as though the 76 is well broken up from all the bits found.
I wonder if it was fitted with an underwater sonic locator. Some years ago one of our 76s ditched very hard but flat with no airspeed into the sea and sank in 90 feet. All 14 died from spinal injuries and no one had water in their lungs and were still strapped in which shows the toughness of the 76. Divers went down the next day in the filthy water with zero vis and homed into the 76, bumping into it before they could see it. The next day the 76 was in our hangar, the fault discovered and a mod put out to prevent a repeat.
So let's hope some good comes out of this tragedy.
I wonder if it was fitted with an underwater sonic locator. Some years ago one of our 76s ditched very hard but flat with no airspeed into the sea and sank in 90 feet. All 14 died from spinal injuries and no one had water in their lungs and were still strapped in which shows the toughness of the 76. Divers went down the next day in the filthy water with zero vis and homed into the 76, bumping into it before they could see it. The next day the 76 was in our hangar, the fault discovered and a mod put out to prevent a repeat.
So let's hope some good comes out of this tragedy.
Nigel,
I don't know if no water in the lungs is due to spinal injury. Generally it is considered cold water drowning where the intake closes and prevents water entering the lungs.
Sad situation regardless...
I don't know if no water in the lungs is due to spinal injury. Generally it is considered cold water drowning where the intake closes and prevents water entering the lungs.
Sad situation regardless...
PPRuNe Time
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Australia
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
HOUSTON, Texas (AP) -- Four more bodies were found early Friday among debris from a helicopter carrying 10 people that went down in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this week, the Coast Guard said.
Friday's discovery raises to eight the number of victims found. The Coast Guard said the search for the other two was continuing.
The twin-engine helicopter, owned by Era Aviation and chartered by the oil company Unocal, was headed to a ship owned by an offshore drilling company when it vanished Tuesday evening.
The first bodies were found about 60 miles south of Galveston on Wednesday.
Friday morning, a private ship helping out in the search located pieces of the helicopter's wreckage about 70 miles south of Galveston, Coast Guard Petty Officer Andy Kendrick said. A remote camera was sent to search the water, and the four bodies were spotted between 100 feet and 150 feet below the surface.
"They are currently being recovered," Kendrick said. "We are going to do it as quickly as we possibly can."
A jet, a helicopter and a patrol boat from the Coast Guard, as well as various private ships and aircraft continue searching for the other two individuals, Kendrick said.
Friday's discovery raises to eight the number of victims found. The Coast Guard said the search for the other two was continuing.
The twin-engine helicopter, owned by Era Aviation and chartered by the oil company Unocal, was headed to a ship owned by an offshore drilling company when it vanished Tuesday evening.
The first bodies were found about 60 miles south of Galveston on Wednesday.
Friday morning, a private ship helping out in the search located pieces of the helicopter's wreckage about 70 miles south of Galveston, Coast Guard Petty Officer Andy Kendrick said. A remote camera was sent to search the water, and the four bodies were spotted between 100 feet and 150 feet below the surface.
"They are currently being recovered," Kendrick said. "We are going to do it as quickly as we possibly can."
A jet, a helicopter and a patrol boat from the Coast Guard, as well as various private ships and aircraft continue searching for the other two individuals, Kendrick said.
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rocky Mountain News
Helicopter co-pilot died living dream job
Colo. man on craft lost off Texas coast
Colo. man on craft lost off Texas coast
March 26, 2004
Donald J. Janning grew up to be something special, his mother fondly remembered Thursday.
Janning, who lived in Monument, served in the Army for 20 years, working on intelligence, and retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
But Marilyn Hook, Janning's mother, knew her son wanted to fulfill a lifetime dream: He wanted to fly helicopters. Four years ago, Janning took flying lessons in Louisiana.
This week, Janning, 46, died "doing what he loved to do," his mother said.
Janning, who was co-pilot, and pilot Tim B. O'Neal, 50, of El Lago, Texas, were taking eight contractors in a twin-engine Sikorsky S-76A to a drilling ship when the helicopter disappeared, the Coast Guard said. It was last heard from Tuesday night.
Search and rescue crews found four victims and debris in the water about 60 miles south of Galveston, Texas. The Coast Guard continued to search for the others.
Hook said her son was working for Era Aviation Inc., which is based in Lake Charles, La. Era Aviation is considered the oldest helicopter firm in the country and often ferries clients, who specialize in petroleum, between U.S. shores and oil rigs in the gulf.
Janning was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. He signed up for flying lessons when he was a high school senior.
"He loved flying and being up there in the air," his mother said. "He loved it so much every time he could get to fly around."
Janning attended the University of Dayton before enlisting in the Army and serving in Germany, Kuwait and South Korea. Yet Janning did not pursue aviation training in the military, his mother said.
But when he retired from the service and returned to his Fairfax, Va., home his aviation career took off, Hook said.
One of his first accomplishments was to build a single-engine plane in his basement. Using a plane-manufacturing kit and other parts, Janning finished his plane in about a year. "He flew it, and it was successful," his mother said.
Afterward, Janning took helicopter flying lessons, earned his license and joined Era Aviation.
"He absolutely was in his glory when he was flying up there," Hook said.
Janning is survived by his wife, Diana, three daughters and four stepchildren. The second of five children, Janning also is survived by three brothers and a sister.
Donald J. Janning grew up to be something special, his mother fondly remembered Thursday.
Janning, who lived in Monument, served in the Army for 20 years, working on intelligence, and retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
But Marilyn Hook, Janning's mother, knew her son wanted to fulfill a lifetime dream: He wanted to fly helicopters. Four years ago, Janning took flying lessons in Louisiana.
This week, Janning, 46, died "doing what he loved to do," his mother said.
Janning, who was co-pilot, and pilot Tim B. O'Neal, 50, of El Lago, Texas, were taking eight contractors in a twin-engine Sikorsky S-76A to a drilling ship when the helicopter disappeared, the Coast Guard said. It was last heard from Tuesday night.
Search and rescue crews found four victims and debris in the water about 60 miles south of Galveston, Texas. The Coast Guard continued to search for the others.
Hook said her son was working for Era Aviation Inc., which is based in Lake Charles, La. Era Aviation is considered the oldest helicopter firm in the country and often ferries clients, who specialize in petroleum, between U.S. shores and oil rigs in the gulf.
Janning was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. He signed up for flying lessons when he was a high school senior.
"He loved flying and being up there in the air," his mother said. "He loved it so much every time he could get to fly around."
Janning attended the University of Dayton before enlisting in the Army and serving in Germany, Kuwait and South Korea. Yet Janning did not pursue aviation training in the military, his mother said.
But when he retired from the service and returned to his Fairfax, Va., home his aviation career took off, Hook said.
One of his first accomplishments was to build a single-engine plane in his basement. Using a plane-manufacturing kit and other parts, Janning finished his plane in about a year. "He flew it, and it was successful," his mother said.
Afterward, Janning took helicopter flying lessons, earned his license and joined Era Aviation.
"He absolutely was in his glory when he was flying up there," Hook said.
Janning is survived by his wife, Diana, three daughters and four stepchildren. The second of five children, Janning also is survived by three brothers and a sister.
PPRuNe Time
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Australia
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From HoustonChronicle
And from News24Houston
The Coast Guard Friday night ended its air and sea search in the Gulf of Mexico for the two men still missing after the crash of a helicopter that carried 10 passengers.
Wreckage of the helicopter resting in 186 feet of water and containing four bodies was discovered about 4 a.m. Friday by a private vessel about 60 miles south of Galveston.
...
The crew of the motor vessel Midnight Wrangler, equipped with sonar and a remote camera, located the wreckage of the 12-passenger Sikorsky helicopter, Kendrick said.
...
Coast Guard officials said oilfield supply vessels along with Coast Guard surface vessels recovered debris, including personal effects such as hats, clothing and shoes. The helicopter's locating device was also recovered, but Coast Guard officials could not immediately say if the device was operable.
Wreckage of the helicopter resting in 186 feet of water and containing four bodies was discovered about 4 a.m. Friday by a private vessel about 60 miles south of Galveston.
...
The crew of the motor vessel Midnight Wrangler, equipped with sonar and a remote camera, located the wreckage of the 12-passenger Sikorsky helicopter, Kendrick said.
...
Coast Guard officials said oilfield supply vessels along with Coast Guard surface vessels recovered debris, including personal effects such as hats, clothing and shoes. The helicopter's locating device was also recovered, but Coast Guard officials could not immediately say if the device was operable.
Four more bodies have been recovered Saturday from a helicopter that went down in the Gulf of Mexico. Searchers also found the aircraft's cockpit voice recorder.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: In my house
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Heard that the CVR was located and is either in or on its way to Washington for analysis. There was no FDR as the aircraft was "exempt" from having one according to the FAA regulations.
Hopefully, we will find out more soon...
HH
Hopefully, we will find out more soon...
HH
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Associated Press
I'm sure the families and friends of all those who lost their lives are in our thoughts and prayers.
Heliport
Crews recover final two victims from downed helicopter
3/30/04 - HOUSTON
3/30/04 - HOUSTON
— The bodies of the final two missing passengers aboard a helicopter that vanished into the Gulf of Mexico with 10 people aboard have been recovered, the company that chartered the flight said Tuesday.
Jason Petitjean, 34, of Rayne, La., and Jeff Langley, 42, of Kountze, Texas, were recovered late Monday night from the Gulf's floor. Both were contractors for Unocal, an El Segundo, Calif.-based oil exploration and production company, when the helicopter disappeared on its way to a drilling ship in the Gulf.
"It's a sad relief would be the way to put it," said Unocal spokeswoman Christine LeLaurin. "The families have a chance to reach some closure. Everyone worked very hard to do their best in this recovery operation. We wished it would have had some different results."
The question now turns to what brought down the Sikorsky S-76A owned by Alaska-based Era Aviation Inc.
National Transportation Safety Board spokeswoman Lorenda Ward said the agency should have retrieved most of the wreckage needed to complete its investigation by Tuesday.
The helicopter took off from an airfield in Galveston and was headed to a drill ship working near South Padre Island. The aircraft was 90 miles south of Galveston when the pilot made his last radio contact.
Remains of four people and a life vest were found a day later floating in the Gulf. Another four bodies were located Friday on the sea's floor among the wreckage but couldn't be recovered until Saturday morning. Most of the wreckage was found about 70 miles south of Galveston.
Jason Petitjean, 34, of Rayne, La., and Jeff Langley, 42, of Kountze, Texas, were recovered late Monday night from the Gulf's floor. Both were contractors for Unocal, an El Segundo, Calif.-based oil exploration and production company, when the helicopter disappeared on its way to a drilling ship in the Gulf.
"It's a sad relief would be the way to put it," said Unocal spokeswoman Christine LeLaurin. "The families have a chance to reach some closure. Everyone worked very hard to do their best in this recovery operation. We wished it would have had some different results."
The question now turns to what brought down the Sikorsky S-76A owned by Alaska-based Era Aviation Inc.
National Transportation Safety Board spokeswoman Lorenda Ward said the agency should have retrieved most of the wreckage needed to complete its investigation by Tuesday.
The helicopter took off from an airfield in Galveston and was headed to a drill ship working near South Padre Island. The aircraft was 90 miles south of Galveston when the pilot made his last radio contact.
Remains of four people and a life vest were found a day later floating in the Gulf. Another four bodies were located Friday on the sea's floor among the wreckage but couldn't be recovered until Saturday morning. Most of the wreckage was found about 70 miles south of Galveston.
Heliport
NTSB link
NTSB Advisory
National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
March 30, 2004
UPDATE ON NTSB INVESTIGATION INTO CRASH OF S-76A HELICOPTER IN GULF OF MEXICO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following is an update of the NTSB's investigation into the crash of an ERA Aviation, Inc. Sikorsky S-76A twin- engine turbine powered helicopter (N579EH) on Tuesday evening, March 23, 2004 in the Gulf of Mexico.
The aircraft, chartered by Unocal of Houston, Texas, departed Scholes International Airport near Galveston, Texas at approximately 6:45 p.m. CST. Its intended destination was High Island A 557 refueling platform, and then an offshore drilling ship. There were 2 crewmembers and 8 passengers aboard.
At 7:23 p.m., the company dispatcher attempted to contact the pilot of the aircraft but received no response. Floating wreckage was found the following day, and a debris field was located in the early morning on March 26, about 70 miles offshore. The debris field is 300 feet by 600 feet and sits in 180 feet of water. The wreckage is reported to be extremely fragmented. The remains of all 10 occupants have been recovered.
There are 5 vessels involved in the search and recovery operation. Most of the aircraft's wreckage has been raised to the ocean surface and will be delivered to a facility in Lake Charles, Louisiana, for examination by the Safety Board's team.
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) has been recovered and has been transferred to the Safety Board's laboratory in Washington, D.C. It is of solid state design with 30-minute recording capability (earlier, preliminary information from the company that this was a 2-hour recorder was incorrect). Only one channel of the CVR was recording, the cockpit area microphone. Because of high ambient noise in the cockpit, the recording is unusable for voices. A sound spectrum analysis is being conducted on the recording.
The flight crew records have been reviewed. The captain had 7,256 total hours as of the end of February, including 5,291 as pilot in command of helicopters. His Air Transport Pilot license was in rotary and multi-engine fixed wing aircraft. His total time flying in the Gulf of Mexico was almost 3,900 hours. The second in command had 1,930 total hours, with 1,372 as pilot in command of helicopters. He had a commercial rotorwing license and was a certified instrument flight instructor. His total Gulf time was 1,013 hours. Both pilots had attended S-76A recurrent training in February.
On the morning of the accident, the airframe had 10,075 hours, and the engines had 4,519 and 2,052 hours respectively. The day before the accident a 30-hour inspection and a 300-hour inspection on the main rotor blade were accomplished. The 25-hour tail rotor spar inspection and an airworthiness check had been accomplished two hours before the aircraft departed.
The Safety Board's team is led by Investigator-in- Charge Lorenda Ward. Parties to the investigation are the Federal Aviation Administration, ERA Aviation, Sikorsky and Unocal.
The Board's investigation continues.
NTSB Media Contact: Ted Lopatkiewicz, (202) 314-6100
NTSB Advisory
National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
March 30, 2004
UPDATE ON NTSB INVESTIGATION INTO CRASH OF S-76A HELICOPTER IN GULF OF MEXICO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following is an update of the NTSB's investigation into the crash of an ERA Aviation, Inc. Sikorsky S-76A twin- engine turbine powered helicopter (N579EH) on Tuesday evening, March 23, 2004 in the Gulf of Mexico.
The aircraft, chartered by Unocal of Houston, Texas, departed Scholes International Airport near Galveston, Texas at approximately 6:45 p.m. CST. Its intended destination was High Island A 557 refueling platform, and then an offshore drilling ship. There were 2 crewmembers and 8 passengers aboard.
At 7:23 p.m., the company dispatcher attempted to contact the pilot of the aircraft but received no response. Floating wreckage was found the following day, and a debris field was located in the early morning on March 26, about 70 miles offshore. The debris field is 300 feet by 600 feet and sits in 180 feet of water. The wreckage is reported to be extremely fragmented. The remains of all 10 occupants have been recovered.
There are 5 vessels involved in the search and recovery operation. Most of the aircraft's wreckage has been raised to the ocean surface and will be delivered to a facility in Lake Charles, Louisiana, for examination by the Safety Board's team.
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) has been recovered and has been transferred to the Safety Board's laboratory in Washington, D.C. It is of solid state design with 30-minute recording capability (earlier, preliminary information from the company that this was a 2-hour recorder was incorrect). Only one channel of the CVR was recording, the cockpit area microphone. Because of high ambient noise in the cockpit, the recording is unusable for voices. A sound spectrum analysis is being conducted on the recording.
The flight crew records have been reviewed. The captain had 7,256 total hours as of the end of February, including 5,291 as pilot in command of helicopters. His Air Transport Pilot license was in rotary and multi-engine fixed wing aircraft. His total time flying in the Gulf of Mexico was almost 3,900 hours. The second in command had 1,930 total hours, with 1,372 as pilot in command of helicopters. He had a commercial rotorwing license and was a certified instrument flight instructor. His total Gulf time was 1,013 hours. Both pilots had attended S-76A recurrent training in February.
On the morning of the accident, the airframe had 10,075 hours, and the engines had 4,519 and 2,052 hours respectively. The day before the accident a 30-hour inspection and a 300-hour inspection on the main rotor blade were accomplished. The 25-hour tail rotor spar inspection and an airworthiness check had been accomplished two hours before the aircraft departed.
The Safety Board's team is led by Investigator-in- Charge Lorenda Ward. Parties to the investigation are the Federal Aviation Administration, ERA Aviation, Sikorsky and Unocal.
The Board's investigation continues.
NTSB Media Contact: Ted Lopatkiewicz, (202) 314-6100
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: In my house
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I haven't posted this as a link but go to www.klfy.com
Klfy is a Louisiana TV station. Speculation here from the Crash Investigator points to a possible cause. Unusual so early in the investigation.
Independent source close to the investigation told me that they have, as yet, found no obvious mechanical failure.
HH
Klfy is a Louisiana TV station. Speculation here from the Crash Investigator points to a possible cause. Unusual so early in the investigation.
Independent source close to the investigation told me that they have, as yet, found no obvious mechanical failure.
HH
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Europe/US
Posts: 346
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is the content with the 'Hint' included!!!
New information has been released about the final minutes of an Era Aviation helicopter that was lost in the Gulf of Mexico last week.
The information hints at a possible cause for last Tuesday's crash.
The crash claimed the lives of the chopper's two man crew and their eight passengers.
Crash investigators spent Thursday scouring the wreckage of a Sikorsky S76 helicopter that was lost last Tuesday night in the Gulf of Mexico.
And, Eyewitness News was the only media outlet allowed access to the process.
Chuck Huebner: It's like putting the pieces of a puzzle together...
Lorenda Ward/Crash Investigator: Yes. It is...
As those pieces begin to fall into place, a clearer picture of what may have happened is beginning to emerge.
While it's still early in the investigation, this new information sets forth one possible scenario that would explain why the helicopter and its two man crew never got off a may-day or distress call.
They may not have known they were in trouble, until it was too late.
Chuck Huebner: So, it either happened very fast or very slowly...
Lorenda Ward/Crash Investigator: That's right...
The Sikorsky S76, as operated by Era Aviation is basically the civilian version of the Army Blackhawk, a sturdy aircraft equipped with both radio and telephone communications equipment.
But, if the crew didn't know they were in trouble, there would have been no need to use it.
According to crash investigators, the last radar contact with the helicopter Tuesday night indicated the chopper was cruising at 1800 feet.
But, it wasn't flying level.
It was descending at a rate of approximately 200 feet per minute, so slowly, the crew might not have been aware of it.
Keep in mind that this is just one possible scenario.
A complete examination of the helicopter's flight control instrumentation and its engines must still be completed.
Until then, crash investigators will not speculate on a possible cause.
As ever, the NTSB/FAA AIU will no doubt reveal the cause of the crash...if it can be determined.
New information has been released about the final minutes of an Era Aviation helicopter that was lost in the Gulf of Mexico last week.
The information hints at a possible cause for last Tuesday's crash.
The crash claimed the lives of the chopper's two man crew and their eight passengers.
Crash investigators spent Thursday scouring the wreckage of a Sikorsky S76 helicopter that was lost last Tuesday night in the Gulf of Mexico.
And, Eyewitness News was the only media outlet allowed access to the process.
Chuck Huebner: It's like putting the pieces of a puzzle together...
Lorenda Ward/Crash Investigator: Yes. It is...
As those pieces begin to fall into place, a clearer picture of what may have happened is beginning to emerge.
While it's still early in the investigation, this new information sets forth one possible scenario that would explain why the helicopter and its two man crew never got off a may-day or distress call.
They may not have known they were in trouble, until it was too late.
Chuck Huebner: So, it either happened very fast or very slowly...
Lorenda Ward/Crash Investigator: That's right...
The Sikorsky S76, as operated by Era Aviation is basically the civilian version of the Army Blackhawk, a sturdy aircraft equipped with both radio and telephone communications equipment.
But, if the crew didn't know they were in trouble, there would have been no need to use it.
According to crash investigators, the last radar contact with the helicopter Tuesday night indicated the chopper was cruising at 1800 feet.
But, it wasn't flying level.
It was descending at a rate of approximately 200 feet per minute, so slowly, the crew might not have been aware of it.
Keep in mind that this is just one possible scenario.
A complete examination of the helicopter's flight control instrumentation and its engines must still be completed.
Until then, crash investigators will not speculate on a possible cause.
As ever, the NTSB/FAA AIU will no doubt reveal the cause of the crash...if it can be determined.
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: canada
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
200 fpm descent
Hi TomOz!
I dunno about that!!
They were over the "black" ocean I believe( night VFR, may as well be IFR/IMC) in a very smooth a/c. I've set the autopilot on my 76 at 200rod bugged....it's very slow and insidious!!! If I didn't monitor properly, I could see myself busting an altitude.
But, all in conjecture regarding this accident.
I am not attributing this accident to CFIT.....just a general point of discussion.
D.K
I dunno about that!!
They were over the "black" ocean I believe( night VFR, may as well be IFR/IMC) in a very smooth a/c. I've set the autopilot on my 76 at 200rod bugged....it's very slow and insidious!!! If I didn't monitor properly, I could see myself busting an altitude.
But, all in conjecture regarding this accident.
I am not attributing this accident to CFIT.....just a general point of discussion.
D.K
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Texas
Posts: 512
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
They wouldn't be the first crew to fail to see a rate of descent until too late, if that did indeed happen. I can say that it was very black that night, with zero moon illumination, and little starlight. Beyond that, I can't speculate.
I must say one thing in defense of the accident investigator quoted, though. From reading the story, the speculation seems to be the reporter's, as usual. His oh so insightful questions and remarks seem fairly typical of reporters in general, and TV reporters especially. The statement that the S76 is the civil version of the Blackhawk is laughable. There is no quote from the investigator indicating any speculation, and in fact it is stated that the team refused to speculate, as is normal.
I must say one thing in defense of the accident investigator quoted, though. From reading the story, the speculation seems to be the reporter's, as usual. His oh so insightful questions and remarks seem fairly typical of reporters in general, and TV reporters especially. The statement that the S76 is the civil version of the Blackhawk is laughable. There is no quote from the investigator indicating any speculation, and in fact it is stated that the team refused to speculate, as is normal.