Bell 222 N5008Q

Summary

On 23 March 1989 at about 18:30 local time, a Bell 222 registered N5008Q was involved in an accident near Leadville, Colorado, 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.

Date

23 March 1989 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Leadville, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Leadville (LXV)

Coordinates

39.2408, -106.2904

Aircraft

Bell 222

Registration

N5008Q

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN89LA090

Nobody was injured.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO COMPENSATE ADEQUATELY FOR WIND CONDITIONS WITH RUDDER PEDALS WHILE MANEUVERING IN UNFAVORABLE WIND AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT & A TECHNICIAN WERE PERFORMING REARWARD FLT TO TEST AN EXPERIMENTAL ENG INSTLN. THE MANEUVER USED WAS A REARWARD HOVER TO 20 KTS, FOLLOWED BY A RIGHT PEDAL TURN TO REVERSE COURSE & FLY AWAY. THE PLT WAS USING RWY 16 & THE WIND WAS FROM 260 DEG AT 12 KTS. THE PLT RPRTD THAT DRG THE RIGHT TURN, THE HELICOPTER ENTERED AN UNCOMMANDED RIGHT SPIN. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ANTI-TORQUE CONTROL & LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO LAND. HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN WITH SIDEWARD MOVEMENT, COLLAPSING THE NOSE & LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE RWY DRG THE GEAR FAILURE & THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX WAS TORN FROM THE TAIL SECTION. THE PLT ORIGINALLY SUSPECTED A HYDRAULIC PROBLEM, BUT AN INSPN FAILED TO REVEAL EVIDENCE OF ANY PRE-ACDNT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. ELEVATION & TEMPERATURE WERE 9927 FT & 65 DEG, RESPECTIVELY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.