Jones Act Maritime Lawyer : Houston Jones Act & Maritime Injury Lawyer & Attorney : Arnold & Itkin Law Firm : Offshore Injury, Maritime Law : Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida

A new satellite-based GPS, already operational in parts of Florida, could lead to fewer helicopter accidents as oil rig workers are transported to and from platforms.

The ADS-B, or Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system, is part of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) $20 billion plan to revamp the country’s antiquated air traffic control system over the next decade. The system is expected to be in place within the next 5 years, but in parts of Florida, pilots are already using the satellite-based GPS data to obtain the same information air traffic controllers can see on their monitors. The GPS allows controllers to locate the position of an airplane far more accurately than they currently do with data from ground-based radars. With the new system, pilots and air traffic controllers will be able to access data generated by the second.

The ADS-B system will be especially beneficial in the Gulf of Mexico, where helicopter flights carrying oil rig workers currently operate without air traffic control monitoring. With an ADS-B system installed on a helicopter, the pilot will be able to observe the movement of other aircraft in the vicinity, thus reducing the risk of accidents. In addition to making offshore helicopter travel safer, the new system will also increase efficiency.

Helicopter Safety

Helicopters have replaced watercraft as the primary means of ferrying oil rig workers to and from shore. Using these helicopters has lead to greater efficiency and reduced travel time, however, as offshore helicopter traffic in the Gulf of Mexico has increased, so has the number of accidents. Earlier this year, a Sikorsky helicopter carrying offshore rig workers crashed in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. The helicopter was carrying nine oil rig workers from Louisiana to a Shell oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2007, a Bell helicopter crashed south of Sabine Pass; five oil rig workers including the pilot were killed in that accident.

Offshore helicopter operators will benefit greatly from installing the new system on their fleet. They stand to gain from greater safety, increased efficiency, and fewer maritime accidents and injuries.

If you've been injured in a helicopter crash or other maritime accident, you may be able to recover compensation with he help of a maritime lawyer. Contact a maritime attorney at Arnold & Itkin LLP for a free evaluation of your case.

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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requiring offshore helicopters in the Gulf of Mexico to reevaluate their communication procedures in order to avoid accidents during high traffic periods, such as after a hurricane or other disaster. The recommendations came after a probe into a helicopter crash near Texas in 2005.

On September 6th, 2005, a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter with 8 Rowan Companies oil rig workers on board crashed into the Gulf of Mexico approximately 24 miles southeast of Sabine Pass, Texas. The helicopter had just taken off from a jack rig owned by Rowan Companies, and was on its way to the company's facility in Sabine Pass.  There were 2 other passengers on board, as well as a two-member crew. They were all able to safely make their way out of the helicopter before it submerged. Both pilots and 3 of the passengers suffered serious injuries in the accident, while the rest of the passengers suffered minor injuries. Fortunately, all occupants were wearing personal flotation devices, these helped them stay afloat in the waters for close to 7.5 hours before help arrived. The investigation found that the accident was caused because of the pilots' slow response when the first engine failed. The board concluded that the slow response was probably due to high stress levels because of the timing of the crash - one week after hurricane Katrina made landfall. The chaotic conditions soon after Katrina hit caused delays in the communication network at Houston Helicopters Inc, the company that operated the helicopter. According to the Board's report, there were several violations at Houston Helicopters Inc. which contributed to the delayed rescue efforts. Post Katrina, other offshore helicopter operators serving drilling companies in the Gulf of Mexico made alternative arrangements, so they could continue supporting helicopter flights. Houston Helicopters Inc., however, failed to make any substitute arrangements. Instead, management at the company recommended that pilots use their own cell phones to transmit important flight information to the control center. The board also found that although Houston Helicopters Inc. had a record of 8 accidents, 3 incidents and at least 18 FAA surveillance violations, there were no follow ups made to check if the company was in compliance with rules regarding alternate methods of flight following procedures.   

The offshore helicopter crash near Texas could have ended in tragedy and the passengers and crew members were lucky to be able to survive with only injuries. They were, however, forced to undergo the trauma of waiting for several hours in the cold waters of the Gulf because of Houston Helicopter Inc's negligence. 

Maritime Accident Claims

Offshore rig workers are exposed to several risks when they use helicopters to travel from platform to shore as part of their maritime duties.  Injuries that occur during such air travel can make a worker eligible for compensation under maritime law. An expert maritime attorney can help workers determine their options for compensation.

If you have been injured in a maritime accident, contact a maritime attorney at Arnold & Itkin LLP for a free evaluation of your case.

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Investigations are ongoing in an early January helicopter crash in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana that killed 8 offshore rig and maritime workers and injured at least one person.

The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting investigations in the crash involving a Sikorsky S-76C owned by Petroleum Helicopters Inc. (PHI), a Lafayette based company. The helicopter was on its way to a Shell Oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico when it crashed into a marsh near Bayou Penchant. The 8 people killed in the crash were offshore rig workers. At least one family has already filed a lawsuit against Petroleum Helicopters Inc.

In recent years helicopters have become one of the main modes of transportation used to ferry rig workers and maritime equipment to offshore platforms. As technological advances allowed the construction of rigs in deeper waters, maritime companies and oil companies began to find it cheaper and more efficient to transport rig workers and equipment by helicopter rather than by ship, as was the case earlier. According to statistics from the Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference, which collects data from about 15 operators in the Gulf of Mexico region, close to 3 million passengers on 600 helicopters traveled the Gulf of Mexico region last year. With more and more helicopters being pressed into service, the risk of accidents has increased.

According to an earlier report by the National Transportation Safety Board, the Gulf of Mexico helicopter fleet is at a higher risk for accidents than the national rate. Petroleum Helicopter Inc. operates 162 aircrafts that regularly transport workers and equipment to platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. In the past decade alone, accidents involving helicopters owed by the company have killed at least 30 people, including those who died in January.

Offshore workers like engineers, riggers and laborers are constantly required to travel between platforms. While workers may disregard such nominal things as transportation risks, the fact is their mode of transportation is a risky one.

Investigating a Maritime Helicopter Accident

There are several factors that can go into the investigation of a maritime helicopter crash. Fleet records should be investigated to rule out mechanical malfunction of the chopper, and the possibility of pilot error must be probed thoroughly.  A maritime accident lawyer must have access to resources that will make such investigations possible.

At Arnold &Itkin LLP, we have represented dozens of maritime workers over the years and have obtained fair and just compensation. 

If you have been injured in a maritime helicopter accident, contact a Louisiana maritime accident lawyer at Arnold & Itkin LLP.

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On Monday Reuters reported that a Ukranian helicopter operating in the Black Sea crashed into an offshore drilling platform killing all 20 people aboard.  The helicopter's rotor struck a steel fence rail on the rig during a landing attempt. The pilot lost control of the helicopter which then slammed into the rig and burst into flames.  No one on the rig was injured.

Circumstances of the accident raise questions about what body of law has jurisdiction.  Can injury or wrongful death claims be brought under the Jones Act or does General Maritime Law apply?  Without more details, the answer isn't necessarily clear.  Depending on the exact nature of the circumstances either may apply.

The fact that the workers were being transported to the rig suggests that they were maritime workers, and an aircraft which crashed into the sea would come under maritime jurisdiction.  But the helicopter crashed into the rig and not the sea.  Still, some cases have held that the crash of an aircraft engaged in a function traditionally performed by waterborne vessels, such as ferrying passengers from shore to an island or artificial island including offshore platforms, is within maritime jurisdiction.

Considering that they were working in the Black Sea, the workers may be foreign workers which means that US law such as the Jones Act would not normally apply.  General Maritime Law does however apply because it is not exclusive to the US and/or US territorial waters-- its scope is global.  However, if the rig is a movable rig, otherwise known as a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), and a US company is involved, then the workers may be covered as seamen under the Jones Act whether they were US workers or not.  It is possible for foreign seamen to be covered under the Jones Act and people working on MODUs are seamen by definition.

If you have questions about a matter of maritime law, contact a maritime lawyer at

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