On August 21, 1997, approximately 1145 central daylight time, a Bell 206L-1 helicopter, N2246Q, was destroyed during a forced landing when it collided with trees and subsequently impacted the ground near Arica, Peru. The commercial pilot and 2 passengers received fatal injuries, and the other 3 passengers sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was registered to Petroleum Helicopters, Inc., of Lafayette, Louisiana, and operated by Helica del Peru. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the cross country flight from Arica, an oil exploration work camp, to Casablanca, another work camp.

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