Bell 222 accident near Mariposa, California, June 7, 1992
On June 7, 1992 at about 2:19 pm local time, a Bell 222 (helicopter), registered N5007L, was destroyed in an accident near Mariposa, California. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT DECISION TO TAKEOFF AND FLY WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY IN ONE OF THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 1992 · about 2:19 pm local time
- Place
- Mariposa, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 222 · all 222s on the register
- Registration
- N5007L · registry record · serial 47008
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STARTED THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINES ON AN INTENDED FLIGHT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. A FIREMAN SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE AND NOTIFIED THE PILOT. IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT THE PILOT SAID HE SHUT THE ENGINES DOWN AND CANCELLED THE FLIGHT. A MEDICAL CREW MEMBER ABOARD THE HELICOPTER SAID HE SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE ENGINE EXHAUST AND NOTICED THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE 'READING WELL ABOVE NORMAL.' HE ALSO SAID HE SAW THE ENGINE'S CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT ILLUMINATE. HE SAID THE PILOT 'PLAYED WITH THE THROTTLES A LITTLE BIT TO TRY TO GET THE TEMPERATURE UNDER CONTROL.' THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINES DOWN AND THE NON-FLYING CREW MEMBERS RETURNED TO THEIR HOME BASE VIA GROUND TRANSPORTATION. THE NEXT MORNING THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FERRY THE AIRCRAFT WITH ONE ENGINE. THE PILOT STARTED THE RIGHT ENGINE AND PERFORMED A TAKEOFF WITH BOTH ENGINES RUNNING. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE RIGHT ENGINE'S TEMPERATURE ROSE AND THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. THE HELICOPTER COULD NOT FLY ADEQUATELY WITH THE POWER FROM THE LEFT ENGINE AND ALTITUDE COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED. THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A TREE AND THEN THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE REVEALED EXTENSIVE HEAT DAMAGE TO THE GAS PRODUCER TURBINE WHEEL WITH 20-30% DETERIORATION OF ALL BLADES.
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 sea; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 158 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,453 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 1992; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,579 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTS 101-650C3 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rogers Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 2:15 pm
- Destination: FAT Fresno CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.