Bell 222UT accident near E Brake Blk 397, July 3, 1984
On July 3, 1984 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Bell 222UT (helicopter), registered N222PV, was substantially damaged in an accident near E Brake Blk 397 (Penrod airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 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
- July 3, 1984 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- E Brake Blk 397 · Penrod
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 222UT · all 222UTs on the register
- Registration
- N222PV · registry record · serial 47510
- 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
WHILE IN A HOVERING APPROACH TO LAND ON THE DECK OF AN OIL PLATFORM IN THE GULF OF MEXICO A PIECE OF PLASTIC SHEETING FLEW UP FROM THE PLATFORM INTO THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SLID IN TO A BUILDING ON THE DECK FOLLOWING A HOVERING 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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,656 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 168 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 2, 1984; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,250 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101-750C1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRP Corpus Christi TX at 5:50 pm
- Runway 0, 80 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from CRP, 100 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.