‘Mechanical issue’ forces emergency helicopter landing on Chicago golf course, FAA and NTSB investigating

CHICAGO (WGN) — It’s a rare thing for golfers to see a hole-in-one any time they go to a course.

Fitzgerald Craan saw something even rarer early Monday evening while playing Jackson Park Golf Course on Chicago’s South Side.

According to Chicago Fire Department personnel, a helicopter landed near the first hole of the course, located at 6401 South Richards Drive, following a “mechanical issue.” The helicopter was still sitting on the first hole of the course Tuesday, as the Federal Aviation Administration investigates what forced it to make an emergency landing there.

Craan was playing the 17th hole when the chopper made its way to the ground on the first hole.

“Something that you see once in a lifetime,” he said. “Almost like a hole-in-one.”

Police have been at Jackson Golf Course ever since guarding the helicopter. According to aviation records, the tail number on the aircraft is registered to SummerSkyz, a helicopter tour company out of Lansing, Mich., that provides tours along Lake Michigan.

Staff at the company declined to comment Monday when reached via phone.

Chicago police say the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident, along with the FAA, which released the following statement Tuesday:

A Robinson R44 helicopter made an emergency landing on Jackson Park Golf Course in Chicago around 6:20 p.m. local time on Monday, March 10. Three people were on board. The FAA will investigate.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The NTSB also released a statement Tuesday, saying:

NTSB is coordinating with the FAA to investigate an accident involving a Robinson R44 helicopter in Chicago, Illinois, on March 10.

The preliminary information indicates that while conducting a tour, the helicopter pilot smelled a burning odor, felt a vibration in the tail boom, heard and felt clicking. The pilot subsequently made an emergency landing on the Jackson Park Golf Course. The tail boom sustained substantial damage.

During the on-scene phase of the investigative process, the NTSB does not determine or speculate about the cause of the accident.  

The NTSB has no role in the release of the identities of accident victims and/or the extent and number of injuries; that’s handled by local authorities.    

A preliminary report will be available within 30 days; it can be accessed by searching our investigations database with the NTSB number CEN25LA116.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

WGN also reached out to the Chicago Park District, which oversees the course, and is awaiting response to find out when the helicopter might be removed. CFD, however, said it’ll require a flatbed truck to get it out.

‘Just glad they’re OK’

Witnesses told WGN that in addition to the pilot, there were two passengers on board the helicopter. Although the passengers appeared to be a bit shaken up, golfers who ran over to help said everyone appeared physically OK and declined medical treatment at the scene.

“That’s not normal, so we thought maybe they got permission to land and take a wedding picture or something like that,” Craan said.

Millaun Brown was also playing the course Monday.

“We were on hole No. 15, a par-5, and all of a sudden we see a helicopter descending from the east, heading west, and the engine was sputtering,” he said.

When Brown first heard the aircraft, he initially believed it to be an airplane before he realized what was happening.

“As he was flying, his engine was sputtering. It kept sputtering, and sputtering, and sputtering, and as it hit the ground, it skipped three or four times,” Brown said. “I ran over, I called the fire department, called the police department, and I asked (the pilot and passengers) if they were OK.

“They said they were fine.”

Brown said it was impressive to watch the pilot’s control of the helicopter as he hovered and eventually touched down. Along with other witnesses, Brown credited the pilot’s ability to avoid trees and other objects, and to get everyone to safety.

“I’m just happy those people were OK. They were some beautiful people, and I’m just glad they’re OK,” Brown said.

VIDEO: SkyCam9 over emergency helicopter landing on Chicago’s South Side