Bell 230 N880SF

Summary

On 20 August 2003 at about 00:12 local time, a Bell 230 registered N880SF was involved in an incident near Wilmington, Illinois, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 August 2003 at 00:12

Classification

Incident

Location

Wilmington, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

41.1719, -88.2672

Aircraft

Bell 230

Registration

N880SF

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gary → Peoria

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

CHI03IA293

Nobody was injured.

The material defect during the manufacture of the tail rotor counterweight bellcrank and the bellcrank's subsequent failure due to a fatigue fracture.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a repositioning flight, the medical transportation helicopter executed a precautionary landing to a vacant parking lot after experiencing an in-flight vibration during cruise flight. The pilot stated that the flight time with the vibration was less than 90 seconds. An inspection of the helicopter revealed that the tail rotor counterweight bellcrank (p/n 222-012-727-003) used to hold counterweights had fractured in two pieces. A metallurgical examination of the bellcrank indicated that the bellcrank fractured as a result of a fatigue crack propagating from a casting discontinuity formed during manufacture. Three other occurrences of the same part number were found. The manufacturer issued an information letter to all owners and operators of Bell 222/230/430 helicopters advising them of the occurrences.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.