Bell 222 N5007L

Summary

On 7 June 1992 at about 14:19 local time, a Bell 222 registered N5007L, operated by Rogers Helicopters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Mariposa, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 June 1992 at 14:19

Classification

Accident

Location

Mariposa, California, United States

Coordinates

37.4905, -120.0006

Aircraft

Bell 222

Registration

N5007L

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Rogers Helicopters, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Fresno

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92LA237

1 person had minor injuries.

THE PILOT DECISION TO TAKEOFF AND FLY WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY IN ONE OF THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STARTED THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINES ON AN INTENDED FLIGHT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. A FIREMAN SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE AND NOTIFIED THE PILOT. IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT THE PILOT SAID HE SHUT THE ENGINES DOWN AND CANCELLED THE FLIGHT. A MEDICAL CREW MEMBER ABOARD THE HELICOPTER SAID HE SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE ENGINE EXHAUST AND NOTICED THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE 'READING WELL ABOVE NORMAL.' HE ALSO SAID HE SAW THE ENGINE'S CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT ILLUMINATE. HE SAID THE PILOT 'PLAYED WITH THE THROTTLES A LITTLE BIT TO TRY TO GET THE TEMPERATURE UNDER CONTROL.' THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINES DOWN AND THE NON-FLYING CREW MEMBERS RETURNED TO THEIR HOME BASE VIA GROUND TRANSPORTATION. THE NEXT MORNING THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FERRY THE AIRCRAFT WITH ONE ENGINE. THE PILOT STARTED THE RIGHT ENGINE AND PERFORMED A TAKEOFF WITH BOTH ENGINES RUNNING. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE RIGHT ENGINE'S TEMPERATURE ROSE AND THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. THE HELICOPTER COULD NOT FLY ADEQUATELY WITH THE POWER FROM THE LEFT ENGINE AND ALTITUDE COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED. THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A TREE AND THEN THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE REVEALED EXTENSIVE HEAT DAMAGE TO THE GAS PRODUCER TURBINE WHEEL WITH 20-30% DETERIORATION OF ALL BLADES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.