B407 down in GoM - 4 missing
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 588
Likes: 99
From: Australia
Date: 29-DEC-2022 Time: c 08:40 LT Type: 
Bell 407 Owner/operator: Rotorcraft Leasing Company LLC (RLC) Registration:
C/n / msn:
Fatalities: Fatalities: / Occupants: 4 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Gulf of Mexico, 10 miles off Plaquemines Parish, LA -
United States of America Phase: Take off Nature: Offshore Departure airport: Offshore installation, GOM Destination airport:
Narrative:
An offshore helicopter crashed on take off from an offshore installation (although some reports suggest the accident occurred on approach). The 4 POB are missing. The USCG suspended the search at 18:15. Only debris was found. The installation is owned by Walters Oil and Gas.
Sources:
https://www.kalb.com/2022/12/29/coas...ouisiana-coast
https://www.ksnblocal4.com/2022/12/2...=snd-autopilot
https://www.fox8live.com/2022/12/29/...uisiana-coast/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/helicop...ico-louisiana/
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...s-17684171.php
https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandga...ed-helicopter/
Bell 407 Owner/operator: Rotorcraft Leasing Company LLC (RLC) Registration:
C/n / msn:
Fatalities: Fatalities: / Occupants: 4 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Gulf of Mexico, 10 miles off Plaquemines Parish, LA -
United States of America Phase: Take off Nature: Offshore Departure airport: Offshore installation, GOM Destination airport:Narrative:
An offshore helicopter crashed on take off from an offshore installation (although some reports suggest the accident occurred on approach). The 4 POB are missing. The USCG suspended the search at 18:15. Only debris was found. The installation is owned by Walters Oil and Gas.
Sources:
https://www.kalb.com/2022/12/29/coas...ouisiana-coast
https://www.ksnblocal4.com/2022/12/2...=snd-autopilot
https://www.fox8live.com/2022/12/29/...uisiana-coast/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/helicop...ico-louisiana/
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...s-17684171.php
https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandga...ed-helicopter/
Joined: Apr 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 1,814
From: EGDC
Joined: Oct 2006
Aviation Qualifications: A&P
Posts: 1,346
Likes: 270
From: USA
Availability and cost. There are actually a couple other smaller operators with a worse record that still fly. However, the ironic thing is there was a time a few years ago RLC had a better accident/incident rate than the 3 biggest ops in the GOM at the time.
Some customers have a long history with RLC and only want to use them. During one particular past timeframe a large customer of theirs went through reorganization and some divisions switched air providers to see how the other side lived. However, at the field level it didn't work and in the end most of those divisions moved back to RLC that could.
The latest in the OP accident is during the takeoff sequence the aircraft hit the rig, fell back onto the deck, broke apart, then went off the edge. At least this narrative better explains the floating wreckage they found and the reason for the short SAR attempt.
Originally Posted by [email protected]
And how do people keep getting in the back of their helicopters?
The latest in the OP accident is during the takeoff sequence the aircraft hit the rig, fell back onto the deck, broke apart, then went off the edge. At least this narrative better explains the floating wreckage they found and the reason for the short SAR attempt.
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 880
Likes: 225
From: Australia
Aviation-safety.net description has since been expanded to report that: "Only debris was found (including skids and the emergency flotation system). Recovery operations were delayed by poor weather the next day". That is consistent with what is seen in some of the media video. So presumably the fuselage separated from skids either on deck or when the damaged helicopter hit the water. I wonder if the prospect of survival of those on board might have been better had fuselage remained connected to the skids/floats, even if the helicopter was floating inverted?
Joined: Oct 2006
Aviation Qualifications: A&P
Posts: 1,346
Likes: 270
From: USA
They've recovered the airframe and bodies of all aboard.
https://apnews.com/article/helicopte...aabdffdbeddb05
https://apnews.com/article/helicopte...aabdffdbeddb05
Joined: Feb 2006
Aviation Qualifications: LAME
Posts: 36,137
Likes: 5,738
From: Falling off the end of the thread
Poor guys, one of those onboard lost their son to drowning in March of last year as well, and is wife is pregnant again 
Kathryn's Report: Bell 407, N595RL: Fatal accident occurred December 29, 2022 in Gulf of Mexico
David Scarborough, 36, is an oil rig worker from Lizana, and the nephew of a WLOX staff member. He’s worked offshore for eight years. We’re told he had just completed a two-week shift and was on his way home to celebrate Christmas with his family, including his pregnant wife, Lacy.
This was already a bittersweet time for the family - Back in March, the couple lost their young son, Sawyer, to an accidental drowning. Lacy is now pregnant with a second little boy.
This was already a bittersweet time for the family - Back in March, the couple lost their young son, Sawyer, to an accidental drowning. Lacy is now pregnant with a second little boy.
