Bell 222U accident near Nipton, CA
On September 7, 2002, a Bell 222U (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Nipton, CA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 7, 2002
- Place
- Nipton, CA
- Aircraft
- Bell 222U · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.538°N, 115.417°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020918X05173
Official records · LAX02FA276
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 7, 2002, approximately 0430 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 222U twin-engine helicopter, N417MA, was destroyed after impacting terrain while maneuvering near Nipton, California. The helicopter was registered to the Wells Fargo Bank Northwest of Salt Lake City, Utah, and operated by Mercy Air Service, Inc., of Rialto, California. The instrument rated commercial pilot, flight nurse, and flight paramedic sustained fatal injuries. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 CFR Part 91 air medical transport flight for which a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed. The flight, which departed from the operator's base near Pahrump, Nevada, at 0401, was en route to the site of an automobile accident near Baker, California. The flight departed the Pahrump, Nevada Hospital en route to the accident site located on Interstate Highway 15 near the Bailey Road intersection. At 0414 the flight crew informed the ambulance crew at the accident site that they were 16 minutes out. At 0416 the flight crew made a radio call to Mercy Air Dispatch personnel informing them that operations were normal. At 0420 the flight crew contacted the ambulance crew and informed them that they were approximately 3 minutes out. At 0427 Mercy Air Dispatch made two attempts to contact the flight crew, both with negative results. The wreckage of the helicopter was located approximately one-quarter mile east of Interstate 15 at Yates Well Road, about 5 miles south of State Line, Nevada. Witnesses reported observing the helicopter flying from the nor
Probable cause
The main rotor blade separation while maneuvering for unknown reasons. A factor was the dark night condition.
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Browse: California · Bell aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
