Bell 230 incident near Peoria, Illinois, July 1, 2009
On July 1, 2009 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Bell 230 (helicopter), registered N880SF, was involved in an incident during enroute near Peoria, Illinois (General Downing - Peoria Iap airport). It was flown 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 loss of the number one hydraulic system fluid and hydraulic pressure during cruise due to the failure of the bolts that secure the hydraulic pump's cover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2009 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Peoria, Illinois · General Downing - Peoria Iap · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 230 · all 230s on the register
- Registration
- N880SF · registry record · serial 23024
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter pilot observed a caution light for the number one hydraulic system and a corresponding complete loss of hydraulic system pressure for that system. The pilot declared an emergency and performed a run-on landing. A postincident examination of the system's hydraulic pump revealed that two of its cover attachment bolts had separated. The bolt heads fractured in tension from their shanks via intergranular cracks which initiated at the filet radius between the bead and the shank. The bolt fractures exhibited intergranular fracture features over 90 percent of the surface. The operator’s incident report safety recommendation stated that the pump's cover bolts should be replaced at overhaul; however, it is not required. The helicopter had accumulated 269 hours since overhaul.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Hydraulic power system › Pump, main › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Hydraulic fluid › Fluid level
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Misc hardware › Fasteners › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,100 hours in all; 865 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,673 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 8,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls Royce C30 G/2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls Royce C30 G/2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Osf Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PIA Peoria IL
- Destination: PIA Peoria IL
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N880SF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.