Bell 222 N222LH

Summary

On 12 June 1984 at about 23:50 local time, a Bell 222 registered N222LH, operated by Life Guard of America, Inc., was involved in an accident near Salem, Virginia, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

12 June 1984 at 23:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Salem, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bell 222

Registration

N222LH

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Life Guard of America, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Roanoke → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL84LA198

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS FLOWN TO THE SITE OF AN AUTO ACCIDENT TO TRANSPORT AN INJURED PERSON. AFTER LANDING, THE PATIENT WAS LOADED WITHOUT SHUTTING DOWN THE ENG. DUE TO THE POSITION OF POWER LINES, THE AIRCREW HAD TO DEPART IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WHILE PREPARING TO DEPART, THE PLT BROUGHT THE HELICOPTER TO A HOVER & BEGAN A PEDAL TURN. AS THE ACFT WAS TURNING, AN AMBULANCE DRIVER BEGAN BACKING HIS VEHICLE TOWARD THE HELICOPTER. THE PLT INSTINCTIVELY PULLED AFT ON THE CYCLIC. THIS RESULTED IN THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTING A LOW ROAD BARRIER POST. THERE WAS A LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS, SO THE PLT RETARDED THE THROTTLE TO THE OFF POSITION & MADE A HOVER AUTOROTATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.