Date:	Tuesday 11 July 1989
Time:	14:52
Type:	Aérospatiale AS 350D Astar
Owner/operator:	Petroleum Helicopters (PHI)
Registration:	N3595B
MSN:	1072
Year of manufacture:	1979
Total airframe hrs:	6874 hours
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Gulf of Mexico, 1.5 miles off Galveston, TX -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Offshore
Departure airport:	Freeport TX
Destination airport:	Sabine Pass Heliport, TX(3XA9)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
ON JULY 11 1989, AN AEROSPATIALE AS-350D, REGISTRATION N3595B (PHI HELICOPTERS), WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT & WAS TRANSITING THRU THE EDGE OF A CONTROL ZONE (NO TOWER OPERATING) AT 1200 FT AMSL FROM SW TO NE, AFTER THE PILOT HAD COMMUNICATED HIS POSITION/DIRECTION OF FLIGHT ON UNICOM FREQUENCY. ALSO, THE PILOT OF BELL 206L-1, N1082H,(AIR LOGISTICS) HAD COMMUNICATED HIS DEPARTURE DIRECTION FROM THE COASTAL AIRPORT SCHOLES FIELD IN GALVESTON, AS HE WAS CLIMBING TO HIS CRUISE ALTITUDE ON A SOUTH-EASTERLY HEADING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO HELICOPTERS CONVERGED & A MIDAIR COLLISION OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES FROM THE COASTLINE OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO. BOTH HELICOPTERS DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED INTO THE GULF WATERS. THE AEROSPATIALE PILOT'S VISION WAS RESTRICTED DOWNWARD & LEFTWARDS BY THE COCKPIT CONSOLE. THE BELL PILOT'S VISION WAS RESTRICTED UPWARD & TO THE RIGHT BY THE DOOR FRAME. THE ANGLE BETWEEN THE FLIGHT PATHS WAS ABOUT 105 DEGREES. THE PILOT ON THE AS350D (PHI) AND THE PILOT OF THE BELL 206L-1 (Air Logistics) WERE KILLED

CAUSE OF ACCIDENT: FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE OTHER AIRCRAFT (INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT).

1. NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001213X28828&key=1
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=3595B
3. http://aircrashed.com/cause/cFTW89FA133.shtml
4. Walter Willess (Myself) I was Captain on one of the SAR vessels contracted to Pennzoil as was the Air Logistics Helicopter that collided with the PHI Helicopter.
5. https://oklahoman.com/article/2272300/durant-pilot-ex-sooner-die-as-choppers-crash

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
24-Oct-2008 10:30	ASN archive	Added
29-Jun-2014 03:42	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]
05-Jul-2017 09:55	WIKIFACTS88	Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ]
19-Sep-2020 15:46	Aerossurance	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, ]