Bell 206B-3 accident near Chicago, Illinois, September 19, 1989
On September 19, 1989 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Bell 206B-3 (helicopter), registered N9229X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chicago, Illinois. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A HARD LANDING CAUSED BY THE PILOT NOT BEING ABLE TO JUDGE HIS ALTITUDE ABOVE OR HIS CLOSURE RATE TO TERRAIN BECAUSE OF HIGH VEGETATION IN THE AREA AVAILABLE FOR A FORCED LANDING. AN ENGINE FAULURE CAUSED BY MATERIAL FAILURE OF THE COMPRESSOR SECTION IS A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1989 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B-3 · all 206B-3s on the register
- Registration
- N9229X · no longer on the register · serial 2483
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE AND AUTOROTATED TO AN OPEN FIELD IN AN URBAN AREA DURING A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT LANDED IN, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, 'A DEEP GRASSY, ROUGH FIELD.' EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE COMPRESSOR CASE REVEALED PUNCTURES IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. WHEN THE COMPRESSOR CASE WAS OPENED ALL BLADES AND VANES AFT ON THE FIRST STAGE WERE DAMAGED OR FRACTURED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,285 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 197 in the last 90 days; 3,839 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,994 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MDW Chicago IL at 5:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.