Boeing 737-7H4 and Bell 222U incident near Los Angeles, California, September 4, 2010
On September 4, 2010 at about 7:50 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 737-7H4 (N907WN) and Bell 222U (N222AM), were involved in the same incident near Los Angeles, California. No one was hurt; 133 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
Failure of the air traffic controller to exercise positive control of the situation by issuing clear and timely control instructions to the helicopter pilot. Contributing to the incident was delay by the helicopter pilot in responding to instructions issued by the controller.
Failure of the air traffic controller to exercise positive control of the situation by issuing clear and timely control instructions to the helicopter pilot. Contributing to the incident was delay by the helicopter pilot in responding to instructions issued by the controller.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2010 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 133 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 737-7H4 · all 737-7H4s on the register
- Registration
- N907WN · registry record · serial 36619
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Bell 222U · all 222Us on the register
- Registration
- N222AM · no longer on the register · serial 47547
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 737-7H4 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A departing Boeing 737-700 passed within 750 feet laterally and 200 feet vertically of a helicopter operating under visual flight rules. Both aircraft were receiving air traffic control services from the airport's air traffic control tower and were operating in Class B airspace. Postincident investigation determined that the controller handling the helicopter did not exercise positive control of the situation by issuing clear and timely control instructions and that the helicopter pilot did not react quickly to instructions issued by the controller.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Bell 222U final · quoted from the NTSB record
A departing Boeing 737-700 passed within 750 feet laterally and 200 feet vertically of a helicopter operating under visual flight rules. Both aircraft were receiving air traffic control services from the airport's air traffic control tower and were operating in Class B airspace. Postincident investigation determined that the controller handling the helicopter did not exercise positive control of the situation by issuing clear and timely control instructions and that the helicopter pilot did not react quickly to instructions issued by the controller.
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 for the Boeing 737-7H4 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Air traffic event during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot of other aircraft
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › ATC personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › ATC personnel
The aircraft
- Seats: 140
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Los Angeles CA at 7:50 pm
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 200 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from klax
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 124 |
The factual record for the Bell 222U from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Air traffic event during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › ATC personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › ATC personnel
The aircraft
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Lycoming LTS 101 600A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LTS 101 600A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Westwood CA at 7:46 pm
- Destination: CRQ Palomar CA
- Flight plan: none
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 OPS10IA538.