Bell 222 accident near Salem, Virginia, June 12, 1984
On June 12, 1984 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Bell 222 (helicopter), registered N222LH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salem, Virginia. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- June 12, 1984 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Salem, Virginia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 222 · all 222s on the register
- Registration
- N222LH · registry record · serial 47060
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,792 hours in all; 85 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 701 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 14,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-10-650C-3 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Life Guard Of America,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Roanoke VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.