Helicopter pilot strikes part of oil rig while landing.

Attributes
ACN	436778
Time
Date	199905
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 168 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	736778
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While landing from a hover on an oil rig production platform, I felt a jolt which I thought was the result of a less than normal touchdown due to wind turbulence over the helideck. I shut down the aircraft to perform an inspection to ensure that some object had not contacted the tail rotor as there were observed obstructions to the rear of the aircraft during approach. Personnel on the platform indicated that the tail of the aircraft appeared to contact a protruding 'I' beam that was supporting a work crane. I performed a visual inspection of the tail rotor and vertical fin and saw no apparent damage. I started the aircraft again and checked for any unusual vibrations and control ability. Everything appeared normal so I continued with my mission which terminated at my base in venice, la. During postflt inspection I found a small dent in the leading edge of the aft vertical fin. I wrote this up on the engineering report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT STRIKES PART OF OIL RIG WHILE LNDG.

Narrative: WHILE LNDG FROM A HOVER ON AN OIL RIG PRODUCTION PLATFORM, I FELT A JOLT WHICH I THOUGHT WAS THE RESULT OF A LESS THAN NORMAL TOUCHDOWN DUE TO WIND TURB OVER THE HELIDECK. I SHUT DOWN THE ACFT TO PERFORM AN INSPECTION TO ENSURE THAT SOME OBJECT HAD NOT CONTACTED THE TAIL ROTOR AS THERE WERE OBSERVED OBSTRUCTIONS TO THE REAR OF THE ACFT DURING APCH. PERSONNEL ON THE PLATFORM INDICATED THAT THE TAIL OF THE ACFT APPEARED TO CONTACT A PROTRUDING 'I' BEAM THAT WAS SUPPORTING A WORK CRANE. I PERFORMED A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TAIL ROTOR AND VERT FIN AND SAW NO APPARENT DAMAGE. I STARTED THE ACFT AGAIN AND CHKED FOR ANY UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS AND CTL ABILITY. EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL SO I CONTINUED WITH MY MISSION WHICH TERMINATED AT MY BASE IN VENICE, LA. DURING POSTFLT INSPECTION I FOUND A SMALL DENT IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE AFT VERT FIN. I WROTE THIS UP ON THE ENGINEERING RPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.