Bell 222U accident near Santa Rosa, California, September 28, 2004
On September 28, 2004 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Bell 222U (helicopter), registered N222UT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Rosa, California (Santa Rosa airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot-in-command's (examinee's) incorrect collective control response to a simulated power loss of the number 1 engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 2004 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Rosa, California · Santa Rosa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 222U · all 222Us on the register
- Registration
- N222UT · no longer on the register · serial 47559
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a hover taxi on a company 14 CFR Part 135 pilot checkride, the helicopter did a series of fore and aft skid collisions with the taxiway, and the tail rotor separated from the helicopter. The purpose of the flight was for one of the company pilots to complete a initial instrument check ride. As the examinee taxied the helicopter for departure, the check pilot retarded the number 1 engine to a partial power setting. The examinee lowered the collective. The helicopter skids contacted the ground and it bounced into the air in a nose-low attitude. This was followed by a ground contact on the toes of the skids, and an additional bounce. During the second bounce, aft cyclic was applied, and the tail rotor contacted the ground and broke from the helicopter. The helicopter bounced and began turning to the right. The check pilot applied power to the number 1 engine and the forward portion of the skids contacted the ground while the helicopter turned to the right. The helicopter spun approximately 270 degrees about 10 feet above ground level. After 1 to 1 1/2 turns, the check pilot assumed control of the helicopter. He leveled the helicopter and applied full left pedal. The spin continued until he closed both throttles and performed a hovering autorotation. Neither the check pilot, nor the examinee reported any mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter prior to the accident. The chief pilot said the check airman responded in accordance with current company policy and procedures.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,824 hours in all; 128 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming LTS-101 Ser (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: California Shock-Trauma Air Rescue
The flight
- Departed from: STS Santa Rosa CA
- Destination: APC Napa CA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N222UT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX04CA332.