# Accident 20000728005929A: Bell 222U, Minneapolis, MN, July 28, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 28, 2000, 11:40 local time
- Place: Minneapolis, MN
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: QMLA
- Location: 44.9492° N, 93.0904° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.9492&lon=-93.0904&mi=10
- Aircraft: N224LL (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 222U
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI00LA230](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI00LA230) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000728005929A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) UPON LIFTOFF FROM AN UNPUBLISHED HOSPITAL HELIPAD THE ROTORCRAFT YWAED RIGHT SLIGHTLY WITH A NOSE UP ATTITUDE, THUS POSITIONING THE TAILROTOR OVER THE HELI-PAD LIGHTING SYSTEM. THE TAILBOOM STRUCK THE LIGHT AND A LIGHTING ROD, THROWING PIECES EVERYWHERE, HITTING THE TAIL BOOM AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER.  ONE BLADE OF THE TAILROTOR DELAMINATED THROWING ITS BALANCE WEIGHT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI00LA230](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI00LA230), Jul 28, 2000: Bell BH-222-U (N224LL), St. Paul, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate preflight and improper vertical takeoff and not obtaining clearance from helicopter pad light. Factors included the tailwind takeoff and the helipad light.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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