- Date
- May 15, 1999, 21:22 local (May 16, 1999, 02:22 UTC)
- Place
- Rockton, IL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N781SABell 222UT
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990515005139A
- Case key
- 46309
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's misjudged flare during landing. A factor to the accident was the dark night lighting condition.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
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.'
Factual narrative
On May 15, 1999, at 2122 central daylight time, a Bell 222UT, N781SA, operated by Air Methods Corporation, sustained substantial damage during landing in a field 3 miles west of Rockton, Illinois. 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, Illinois, at 2111.
Post accident inspection of the aircraft showed damage to the nose cowl, landing skids, and tail boom. The tail rotor assembly contacted the ground and was separated from the aircraft. The tail boom skins and substructure were damaged during the impact. No preexisting anomalies were found and the pilot reported none.
The pilot/operator report states that 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."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N781SA
- Reported as
- Bell 222UT
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 47537
- Airframe hours
- 7,459
- Engine
- Lycoming LTS101750C-1, 735 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Air Methods Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 19, 1999 · 46 hours before
- Departed
- LL84 · Rockford, IL
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,200 total · 250 in this make and model · 2,150 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RFD, 16 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.