On August 31, 2000, a Bell 212 (registration N8224V) operated by Houston Helicopters, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Jackson, WY. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of control for undetermined reasons. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A helicopter with rotors turning while awaiting passengers settled rearward, striking its tail rotor and stabilizer. It then became airborne, spun, and made a forced landing with substantial fuselage damage.
Accident Description
While the helicopter was sitting on the ground with the rotors turning at flight RPM, awaiting passenger boarding, it settled to the right rear. This motion caused the right horizontal stabilizer and tail rotor to strike the ground. Subsequently, the helicopter became airborne and spun several times before the pilot secured power and executed a forced landing.
During the landing, the aft landing gear cross tube collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the helicopter after the accident provided evidence of improper maintenance to the skid landing gear. The investigation did not find any procedural errors by the pilot in the operation of the helicopter.