What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pfrom tty) air methods air ambulance (a Bell 222 ut helicopter) landed hard and sustained substantial damage, no injuries were reported to the 3 POB, other circumstances are unknown. (From .19) on may 15, 1999, at 2122 central daylight time (CDT), a Bell 222UT, N781SA, operated air methods corporation, sustained substantial damagee during landing in a field 3 miles west of Rockton, IL. The emergency medical service positioning flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91 and was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. There were no injuries reported by the airline transport pilot or the other two crew members. The flight originated from saint anthony's medical center, rockford, IL, at 2111 CDT. Post accident inspection of the acft showed damage to the nose cowl, landing skids, and tail boom. The tail rotor assembly was separated from the acft. (-23) on approach to a freshly plowed farm field a night N781SA impacted the ground approximately one half mile short of the point of intended landing. The aircraft bounced once and came to rest a few feet from the initial I mpact point. The pilot and passengers failed to see the ground until a moment prior to impact. (.4) an emergency medical services helicopter positioning flight was making a night VFR landing at an off-airport site. The helicopter landed hard, and sustained substantial damage. The NTSB pilot/operator report submitted by the operator, said, in part: '...the pilot oriented his approach angle off the bright lights from the emergency vehicles and a ground guide with two light wands. The hard landing occurred at 2122.'
As the FAA filed it
PFROM TTY) AIR METHODS AIR AMBULANCE (A BELL 222 UT HELICOPTER) LANDED HARD AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED TO THE 3 POB, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (FROM .19) ON MAY 15, 1999, AT 2122 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT), A BELL 222UT, N781SA, OPERATED AIR METHODS CORPORATION, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGEE DURING LANDING IN A FIELD 3 MILES WEST OF ROCKTON, IL. THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE POSITIONING FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AND WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED BY THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT OR THE OTHER TWO CREW MEMBERS. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SAINT ANTHONY'S MEDICAL CENTER, ROCKFORD, IL, AT 2111 CDT. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT SHOWED DAMAGE TO THE NOSE COWL, LANDING SKIDS, AND TAIL BOOM. THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY WAS SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. (-23) ON APPROACH TO A FRESHLY PLOWED FARM FIELD A NIGHT N781SA IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE SHORT OF THE POINT OF INTENDED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED ONCE AND CAME TO REST A FEW FEET FROM THE INITIAL I MPACT POINT. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS FAILED TO SEE THE GROUND UNTIL A MOMENT PRIOR TO IMPACT. (.4) AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES HELICOPTER POSITIONING FLIGHT WAS MAKING A NIGHT VFR LANDING AT AN OFF-AIRPORT SITE. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE NTSB PILOT/OPERATOR REPORT SUBMITTED BY THE OPERATOR, SAID, IN PART: '...THE PILOT ORIENTED HIS APPROACH ANGLE OFF THE BRIGHT LIGHTS FROM THE EMERGENCY VEHICLES AND A GROUND GUIDE WITH TWO LIGHT WANDS. THE HARD LANDING OCCURRED AT 2122.'
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.