Bell 222 incident near Salinas, California, July 30, 2003
On July 30, 2003 at about 5:56 pm local time, a Bell 222 (helicopter), registered N29KH, was involved in an incident near Salinas, California (Salinas Muni 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 fatigue failure (fracture) of the right forward transmission lift link during cruise flight, which resulted in a severe vibration and an emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2003 · about 5:56 pm local time · cases in 2003
- Place
- Salinas, California · Salinas Muni · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 222 · all 222s on the register
- Registration
- N29KH · registry record · serial 47053
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial helicopter pilot reported that while in cruise flight, the helicopter developed a severe vibration. The vibration was so extreme that he was not able to read any of his flight instruments. He declared an emergency, started a slow descent, and made a run-on landing to a dirt field. A post-incident inspection revealed that the right forward transmission lift link had failed at the lower rod end assembly. The failure point was in the threaded area of the rod end. The total time on the failed part (p/n 222-331-626-105) was 3,890.8 hours total time since new. The lift link assembly was the original part installed on the incident helicopter. The lift link assembly was shipped to the National Transportation Safety Board, Materials Laboratory and forwarded to Bell Helicopters for further analysis. It was determined that the link fracture was a result of fatigue in a thread root of the lower elastometric rod end bearing housing. No material discrepancies or deficiencies were found in the rod end bearing housing.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 100 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 26, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,890.8 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 20, 2003; 118.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,850 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming LTS-101-750C1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LTS-101-750C1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Hollister CA at 5:50 pm
- Destination: SNS Salinas CA
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N29KH on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Bell 222 21 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Bell 3,079 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101-750C1 29 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101-750C1 29 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Salinas Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,097 in the last ten years
- California 27,727 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX03IA252.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.