Bell 222UT accident near Rockton, Illinois, May 16, 1999
On May 16, 1999 at about 2:22 am local time, a Bell 222UT (helicopter), registered N781SA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockton, Illinois. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudged flare during landing. A factor to the accident was the dark night lighting condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1999 · about 2:22 am local time
- Place
- Rockton, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 222UT · all 222UTs on the register
- Registration
- N781SA · registry record · serial 47537
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
An emergency medical services helicopter positioning flight was making a night VFR landing at an off-airport site. The helicopter landed hard, and sustained substantial damage. The NTSB Pilot/Operator report submitted by the operator, said, in part: '...the pilot oriented his approach angle off the bright lights from the emergency vehicles and a ground guide with two light wands. The hard landing occurred at 2122.'
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,459 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 19, 1999; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,250 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS101750C-1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LL84 Rockford IL at 2:11 am
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 am from RFD, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.