- Date
- April 20, 1987, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Oxford, MS
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N222HXBell 222U
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 10, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870420058369I
- Case key
- 31794
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
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
The pilot executed a precautionary landing after hearing a loud bang and experiencing a loss of the number 1 engine. Post accident examination revealed that the power turbine wheel blades had failed, and the wheel parts logjammed and penetrated the engine case. The blade fractures were high cycle transgranular failures eminating from the trailing edge of each blade root. A review of FAA SDR records revealed 87 similar failures. Six emergency airworthiness directives were subsequently issued.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N222HX
- Reported as
- Bell 222U
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 47533
- Airframe hours
- 842
- Engine
- Lycoming LTS-101-75001, 750 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Memphis Medical Center
- Registered owner
- Memphis Medical Center
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 23, 1987 · 97 hours before
- Departed
- MEM · Memphis, TN
- Destination
- Oxford, MS
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,200 total · 400 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MEM, 60 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.