What: Helicopter owned by leasing company Rotorcraft en route to an unmanned oil rig platform 18-miles off-shore
Where: Gulf of Mexico, about two miles below Sabine Pass at the border of Texas and Louisiana
When: Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008
Who: 5 on board. The pilot of the helicopter was identified as Joe Laugelle
Why: Cause is under investigation; however there was a weather advisory in effect at the time of the crash
One of the victims of the crash –Jacob Matt–has washed ashore near the McFaddin Wildlife Refuge. One victim John Larry Conn, was buried Sunday. James Cody Smalts who had just moved in with his fiance, Monica Lopez was buried Monday. One victim –Nick Hebert from Basile, Louisiana–hasn’t been recovered.
original post follows
At the time of the crash, air temp was 36 degrees; water temp 62 degrees. Wind was from the west at 23 knots, and there was a weather advisory. The body of John Laguelle is one of those recovered. Two other crew members whose bodies were recovered were wearing personal floatation devices. A search is ongoing for two others. All four passengers were crew members for a contract customer of Rotorcraft. The pilot also worked part-time as a helicopter pilot for a television station in Boston.
