OpenAirDocs.org

20020907023209A

Accident · Destroyed
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Bell 222U · Nipton, NV · September 7, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
September 7, 2002 · 04:27 local
Place
Nipton, NV
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N417MA
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX02FA276
Reported as
Bell 222U
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
3
N417MARegistration cancelled Feb 25, 2003 · Bell 222US/N 47527 · Built 1984Airframe modelBell 222UEngine modelLycoming LTS-101 seriesTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On 9-7-2002, at approximately 04:01 a.m., mercy air ambulance N417MA departed the pahrump, Nevada hospital enroute to a traffic accident located on I-15 at bailey road, coordinates (35 28 03N, 115 31 42W). At 04:14 a.m., N417MA flight crew informed ambulance crew #53 that they were 16 minutes out. At 04:16 a.m., N417MA made a required position report to mercy air dispatch personnel informing them that operations were normal, and that his position at this time was (35 53, 115 43). N417MA continued on a southeasterly track towards primm, Nevada (stateline casino's). At 04:26:50, a female flight crew member contacted the ambulance crew awaiting at bailey road and informed them that they did not need any additional GPS coordinates as the pilot was aware of the accident location. At 04:27 a.m., mercy air dispatch made two attempts to contact N417MA with negative results. On 9-7-2002, witnesses stated that between 04:15 and 04:30 a.m. they observed N417MA impact the ground, and explode into flames at coordinates (35 32 25, 115 25 01). See block #43

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 9-7-2002, AT APPROXIMATELY 04:01 A.M., MERCY AIR AMBULANCE N417MA DEPARTED THE PAHRUMP, NEVADA HOSPITAL ENROUTE TO A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT LOCATED ON I-15 AT BAILEY ROAD, COORDINATES (35 28 03N, 115 31 42W). AT 04:14 A.M., N417MA FLIGHT CREW INFORMED AMBULANCE CREW #53 THAT THEY WERE 16 MINUTES OUT. AT 04:16 A.M., N417MA MADE A REQUIRED POSITION REPORT TO MERCY AIR DISPATCH PERSONNEL INFORMING THEM THAT OPERATIONS WERE NORMAL, AND THAT HIS POSITION AT THIS TIME WAS (35 53, 115 43). N417MA CONTINUED ON A SOUTHEASTERLY TRACK TOWARDS PRIMM, NEVADA (STATELINE CASINO'S). AT 04:26:50, A FEMALE FLIGHT CREW MEMBER CONTACTED THE AMBULANCE CREW AWAITING AT BAILEY ROAD AND INFORMED THEM THAT THEY DID NOT NEED ANY ADDITIONAL GPS COORDINATES AS THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF THE ACCIDENT LOCATION. AT 04:27 A.M., MERCY AIR DISPATCH MADE TWO ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT N417MA WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. ON 9-7-2002, WITNESSES STATED THAT BETWEEN 04:15 AND 04:30 A.M. THEY OBSERVED N417MA IMPACT THE GROUND, AND EXPLODE INTO FLAMES AT COORDINATES (35 32 25, 115 25 01). SEE BLOCK #43

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX02FA276Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportNipton, CAThe main rotor blade separation while maneuvering for unknown reasons. A factor was the dark night condition.Sep 7, 2002 · Destroyed