Bell 222 accident near New York, New York, September 22, 1982
On September 22, 1982 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Bell 222 (helicopter), registered N2772H, suffered minor damage in an accident near New York, New York (Pan Am Metroport E. airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed; 6 others were unhurt. 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
- September 22, 1982 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- New York, New York · Pan Am Metroport E.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 6 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 222 · all 222s on the register
- Registration
- N2772H · no longer on the register · serial 47024
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER (HEL) WAS BEING LOADED WITH THE ENGINES RUNNING. THE FLT CREW WERE AT THE CTLS WHEN THE ACDNT OCCURRED. INITIALLY, 4 PAXS WERE ESCORTED TO THE HEL BY A CUSTOMER SVC AGENT. AS THE 4 BOARDED, THE AGENT RETRIEVED THEIR CARRY ON BAGGAGE. AFT THEY HAD BOARDED (ON THE LFT SIDE), THE AGENT LEFT THE DOOR OPEN, ANTICIPATING A 5TH PAX. HE THEN CARRIED THE BAGGAGE AROUND TO THE RGT SIDE & LOADED IT IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. AFT LOADING THE BAGGAGE, HE CAME BACK ARND TO THE LFT SIDE & HELPED LOAD THE 5TH PAX THAT A 2ND AGENT HAD ESCORTED, THEN TOOK A PSN BY THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. REPORTEDLY, THE 1ST 4 PAXS WERE STILL ON BOARD WHEN THE 5TH PAX BOARDED. AFT HE WAS SEATED & SECURED, THE 2ND AGENT LEANED FWD TO THE COPLT'S DOOR TO INFORM HIM OF THE ADNL WT. AFTER A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH THE COPLT, SHE TURNEDBACK TO CLOSE THE PAX DOOR. AT APRX THAT TIME, ANOTHER HEL PLT SAW A PAX (1 OF THE 1ST 4) WALKING TWD THE TAIL & STARTEDTO TRANSMIT A WARNING TO THE PLT. BFR THE CALL WAS COMPLETED, THE PAX WALKED INTO THE TAIL ROTOR.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,620 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 4,954 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 857 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,850 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101-650C (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Omniflight Airways, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: New York NY
- Destination: Jamaica NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 147°F (64°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:50 pm from LGA, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.