Bell 222 accident near Addis Ababa, Et, April 26, 2019
On April 26, 2019 at about 4:28 am local time, a Bell 222 (helicopter), registered ETAVF, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Addis Ababa. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2019 · about 4:28 am local time · cases in 2019
- Place
- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Bell 222 · all 222s on the register
- Registration
- ETAVF · registered outside the United States
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On April 26, 2019, a Trans Nation Airways, PLC, Bell 222UT helicopter, registered in Ethiopia as ET-AVF crashed near the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia after both engines, Honeywell LTS101-750 turboshafts, lost power. The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Transport Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. The NTSB has appointed an Accredited Representative in accordance with the provisions of ICAO Annex 13 as the State of Design and Manufacture of the engines. Any information regarding this accident will be released by the Ethiopian AAIB.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ENG19WA022.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.