NTSB: FAA Needs To Monitor Gulf Operators

The NTSB wants the FAA to monitor the communication contingency plans of all Gulf of Mexico operators. The recommendation follows the Board’s probe of a 2005 Houston Helicopters S-76A accident in the Gulf, in which the pilots did not report their positions via satphone to the company, via radio to other aircraft, or by filing a flight plan with FSS. As a result, their rescue was delayed by nearly eight hours. The NTSB also urged expedited deployment of ADS-B in the Gulf.