# Accident 20040928026719A: Bell 222U, Santa Rosa, CA, September 28, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 28, 2004, 15:05 local time
- Place: Santa Rosa, CA
- Airport: Sonoma County
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: STRA
- Location: 38.5089° N, 122.8128° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5089&lon=-122.8128&mi=10
- Aircraft: N222UT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N222UT-2019-04-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 222U (registry code 1182140, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-222u) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming LTS-101 series (registry code 41560, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-lts-101-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 222U
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 8,200 total, 130 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04CA332](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA332) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040928026719A

## Narrative

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

(-23) CALSTAR CHECK AIRMAN, PAUL LIKENS WAS CONDUCTING A 135.293 & 135.297 CHECK, DAVID HARVEY WAS THE AIRMAN BEING CHECKED. PAUL LIKENS ROLLED OFF THE #1 ENGINE THROTTLE WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING DOWN THE TAXIWAY FOR TAKEOFF. DAVID HARVEY LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE ABRUPTLY, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND AND BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. IT THEN CAME DOWN TAIL LOW AND STRUCK THE GROUND WITH THE TAIL ROTOR, WHICH BROKE OFF THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX. THEN THE HELICOPTER STARTED TURNING TO THE RIGHT. PAUL LIKENS ROLLED OFF THE #2 ENGINE AND COMPLETED A HOVERING AUTOROTATION WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGE.

## 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 LAX04CA332](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA332), Sep 28, 2004: Bell 222U (N222UT), Santa Rosa, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot-in-command's (examinee's) incorrect collective control response to a simulated power loss of the number 1 engine.

## Other reports on N222UT (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20100409032079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100409032079A), Apr 9, 2010: Bell 222U (N222UT), Madera, CA, Substantial damage. Pilot failed to remove tail rotor sock before takeoff and damaged tail rotor blade. He made three flights before discovering the damage tail rotor blade. The…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
