What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On August 2, 2002, at 1952 central daylight time, a Bell 412, N464AC, piloted by an airline transport pilot, was taking off from the Rantoul National aviation center-frank elliot field airport (tip), Rantoul Illinois, with a load of skydivers, when its tail rotor struck a photographer on the ground. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 business flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot and nine passengers were uninjured. The photographer was fatally injured. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. (-23) N464AC, a Bell-412 helicopter with 8 skydivers aboard, lifted off and began its departure on an easterly heading between runway 9 and a cornfield which was parallel to runway 9, but offset approximately 300 feet, and continued with a right turn to a heading of approximately 120 degrees in order to move out beyond the skydive activity being conducted simultaneously over the airport. As the helicopter made its right turn to the southeast, an individual emerged from the edge of the cornfield for the purpose of photographing the helicopter during its departure. As the helicopter banked, the main rotors contacted this individual, who sustained fatal injuries as a result. The aircraft returned for a landing at the left of the area as medical personnel were summoned.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON AUGUST 2, 2002, AT 1952 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 412, N464AC, PILOTED BY AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, WAS TAKING OFF FROM THE RANTOUL NATIONAL AVIATION CENTER-FRANK ELLIOT FIELD AIRPORT (TIP), RANTOUL ILLINOIS, WITH A LOAD OF SKYDIVERS, WHEN ITS TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A PHOTOGRAPHER ON THE GROUND. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 BUSINESS FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND NINE PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED. THE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (-23) N464AC, A BELL-412 HELICOPTER WITH 8 SKYDIVERS ABOARD, LIFTED OFF AND BEGAN ITS DEPARTURE ON AN EASTERLY HEADING BETWEEN RUNWAY 9 AND A CORNFIELD WHICH WAS PARALLEL TO RUNWAY 9, BUT OFFSET APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET, AND CONTINUED WITH A RIGHT TURN TO A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 120 DEGREES IN ORDER TO MOVE OUT BEYOND THE SKYDIVE ACTIVITY BEING CONDUCTED SIMULTANEOUSLY OVER THE AIRPORT. AS THE HELICOPTER MADE ITS RIGHT TURN TO THE SOUTHEAST, AN INDIVIDUAL EMERGED FROM THE EDGE OF THE CORNFIELD FOR THE PURPOSE OF PHOTOGRAPHING THE HELICOPTER DURING ITS DEPARTURE. AS THE HELICOPTER BANKED, THE MAIN ROTORS CONTACTED THIS INDIVIDUAL, WHO SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES AS A RESULT. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED FOR A LANDING AT THE LEFT OF THE AREA AS MEDICAL PERSONNEL WERE SUMMONED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.