Bell 222 accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, September 1, 1984
On September 1, 1984 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Bell 222 (helicopter), registered N22299, was destroyed in an accident near Knoxville, Tennessee. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1984 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 222 · all 222s on the register
- Registration
- N22299 · no longer on the register · serial 47059
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A HOVER WHEN A RT PEDAL TURN WAS INITIATED AND A CLIMB ATTEMPTED. PLT STATED, 'I WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB, AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO LOSE ROTOR RPM. I INCREASED POWER TO 100% MRTQ. THE ACFT WAS SETTLING.' UNABLE TO SUSTAIN FLT, A LANDING WAS MADE AT A ROAD INTERSECTION DURING WHICH 3 VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED. THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED BY FIRE. INSPECTION & TESTING REVEALED THE TORQUE CONTROL UNIT, P/N 222-360-010-101, WHICH LIMITS THE AMT OF COMBINED ENG TORQUE DELIVERED TO THE MAIN TRANSMISSION, WAS ADJUSTED TO 46.0 PSI. ACCORDING TO BELL MAINTENANCE MANUALS,THE UNIT SHOULD BE SET AT 48.5 PSI (+1.5/-0.0). THE UNIT WAS INSTALLED IN THE ACFT ON 3/1/82. IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINEDIF THE UNIT WAS ADJUSTED AT THE TIME OF INSTALLATION OR AFTER.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,564 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 2,464 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,179 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 4, 1984; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,850 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LT101-650C3A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Knoxville TN at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 200 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from TYS, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.