Gulf of Mexico helicopter crash was third this year for Louisiana aircraft company
The helicopter crash in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday was the third serious accident this year for Broussard, Louisiana based aircraft operator Rotorcraft Leasing Co., according to federal records and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Four people were still missing Friday after the Rotorcraft-operated helicopter went down about 10 miles off Southwest Pass, one of the main shipping channels at the mouth of the Mississippi River. The Coast Guard suspended its search on Thursday night after finding only a few small parts of the aircraft.
Two people died when another Rotocraft helicopter nose-dived into a marsh near Houma on Jan. 14. Two weeks ago, on Dec. 15, another Rotocraft helicopter plunged into the Gulf about 30 miles offshore of Terrebonne Bay. All three people aboard were rescued by the Coast Guard.
Rotocraft did not respond to several requests for comment.
The cause of Thursday’s crash hasn’t been determined. The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed Friday that it is investigating the incident. The board will release a preliminary report in about three weeks. An official cause likely won’t be made public for at least a year.
The Sun Herald identified one passenger as David Scarborough, a 36-year-old offshore oil worker from Harrison County, Mississippi. Scarborough and the two other passengers worked for Island Operating Company of Lafayette.
Scarborough leaves behind a pregnant wife, Lacy. The couple had a 2-year-old son, Sawyer, who died in an accidental drowning in March, the Sun Herald reported.
Rotocraft has not identified the pilot.
Founded in 1990, Rotocraft initially focused on helicopter repairs and overhauls. It began charter operations in 2000 and underwent a period of growth after 2004, acquiring other companies and assets. It now employs about 80 pilots and owns helicopter support facilities in Galliano and Mouton Cove that have a combined total of 44 landing pads, according to company records.
The victims in the Jan. 14 crash near Houma were the pilot, Dylan Horn, 30, of Panama City, Florida; and Dana Burt, 50, of Kaplan, Louisiana. According to a National Transportation Safety Board report, Horn was piloting a Rotocraft-owned Bell 407 helicopter that had departed Venice at 9:30 a.m.
About an hour later, a man fishing about 19 miles east of Houma saw the helicopter flying “super low” before it “nose-dived” into the marsh, causing black mud to spray about 60 feet into the air.
No official cause of the crash was given by the board. The agency’s initial report noted that mechanical failure and weather were likely not factors in the crash.
It’s unclear why the Dec. 15 crash occurred. According to the Coast Guard, a Rotocraft helicopter plummeted into the Gulf while attempting to land on an oil platform. A Coast Guard helicopter hoisted the three occupants from a life raft. One passenger reported a minor back injury.
Thursday’s incident happened after the helicopter departed an oil platform owned by Walter Oil and Gas Co. of Houston, Texas. Witnesses said the helicopter struck the platform’s landing pad before tumbling into the water, WLOX reported.
In 2010, a Rotorcraft helicopter lost power and was forced to make an emergency landing in the Gulf. The pilot escaped uninjured, but the helicopter sank to the Gulf’s bottom, according to court documents.
Sun Herald editor Justin Mitchell contributed to this report.
