Plane Crash List

Bell 206B-3 N9229X

19 September 1989 · Chicago, Illinois, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 19 September 1989 at about 18:15 local time, a Bell 206B-3 registered N9229X was involved in an accident near Chicago, Illinois, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 18:15
Classification
Accident
Location
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Coordinates
41.7807, -87.7695
Aircraft
Bell 206B-3
Registration
N9229X
Category
Helicopter
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Chicago → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
CHI89LA191

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 0 0 2

Probable cause

A HARD LANDING CAUSED BY THE PILOT NOT BEING ABLE TO JUDGE HIS ALTITUDE ABOVE OR HIS CLOSURE RATE TO TERRAIN BECAUSE OF HIGH VEGETATION IN THE AREA AVAILABLE FOR A FORCED LANDING. AN ENGINE FAULURE CAUSED BY MATERIAL FAILURE OF THE COMPRESSOR SECTION IS A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE AND AUTOROTATED TO AN OPEN FIELD IN AN URBAN AREA DURING A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT LANDED IN, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, 'A DEEP GRASSY, ROUGH FIELD.' EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE COMPRESSOR CASE REVEALED PUNCTURES IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. WHEN THE COMPRESSOR CASE WAS OPENED ALL BLADES AND VANES AFT ON THE FIRST STAGE WERE DAMAGED OR FRACTURED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Bell 206 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
8 Jan 1989 Bell 206B III
N16733
Park City, Utah, United States Avman Inc No injuries -
2 Jun 1989 Bell 206L
N992PT
Abbeville, Louisiana, United States Taylor Energy Vthe No injuries -
10 Aug 1989 Bell 206B
N16929
Nanuet, New York, United States Eagle Helicopter No injuries -
2 Nov 1989 Bell 206L-3
N3174S
Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States Air Methods, Inc. No injuries -
19 Aug 1989 Bell 206B
N5006N
Oak Grove, Louisiana, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
6 Jul 1989 Bell 206L-1
N2137U
Chiefland, Florida, United States Kenn Aire Medical Corp. No injuries -

All 1,732 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
18 Aug 1989 Cessna 150M
N9329U
Plainfield, Illinois, United States - Serious injuries -
12 Sep 1989 McDonnell Douglas MD-80
N244AA
Chicago, Illinois, United States
no coordinates
American Airlines Minor injuries -
21 Jan 1989 Piper PA-28-180
N16375
Chicago, Illinois, United States Michael J. Belica Fatal 2
8 Mar 1989 Short Brothers SD360
N366MQ
Chicago, Illinois, United States
no coordinates
Simmons Airlines No injuries -
4 May 1989 Fokker F-27 MK500
N511AW
Moline, Illinois, United States Air Wisconsin No injuries -
19 Jul 1989 McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10
N1846U
Chicago, Illinois, United States
no coordinates
United Airlines No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States