Mbb BK117A3 accident near Okeechobee, Florida, December 17, 2003
On December 17, 2003, a Mbb BK117A3 (helicopter), registered N911WJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Okeechobee, Florida. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions and experienced spatial disorientation, loss of aircraft control, and in-flight collision with trees and terrain. Factors in the accident were the pilot's failure to follow company procedures, total lack of instrument flight time, and a dark night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2003
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mbb BK117A3
- Registration
- N911WJ · registry record · serial 7050
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a night positioning flight and encountered instrument flight conditions. The pilot did not follow company procedures for instrument flight conditions, and lost control of the helicopter due to spatial disorientation. The helicopter entered a spiraling decent and collided with trees and ground. There were no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter. The pilot had logged 200 hours total time in the make and model helicopter, and no actual instrument time in any type of helicopter except for simulated instrument flight time. According to the company written procedures the pilot was required to follow the checklist which stated in part, "Fly the aircraft, climb to altitude, do not get in a hurry, and contact approach or center."
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 3,050 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,533 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 2003; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Honeywell LTS101-650-B1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: C J Systems Aviation Group
The flight
- Departed from: Sebring FL at 11:50 pm
- Destination: SUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from FPR, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL04LA055.