B407 down in GoM - 4 missing
 

Another bad day https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/305381

Date: 29-DEC-2022 Time: c 08:40 LT Type: https://aviation-safety.net/graphics/ICAOtype/B407.gif
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 - https://aviation-safety.net/database...flags_15/N.gif 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/

How many accidents is this now for RLC over the past few years ?

The past few years? They have had lots of accidents since their inception.

@helichris - was trying to be polite

RLC typifies the lot of the American worker to be honest. Life is cheap. Blessings to the families, the true victims.

I saw they also had one back on the 15th Dec with the 206L4 - how the heck does this company remain in business.

And how do people keep getting in the back of their helicopters?

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.

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?

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....0b07843b46.jpg

They've recovered the airframe and bodies of all aboard.
https://apnews.com/article/helicopte...aabdffdbeddb05

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