Bell 427 accident near Indiantown, Florida, June 4, 2012
On June 4, 2012 at about 1:55 pm local time, a Bell 427 (helicopter), registered N427AL, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Indiantown, Florida. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inflight collision with birds, resulting in damage to the rotor head assembly and a subsequent forced landing and rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2012 · about 1:55 pm local time
- Place
- Indiantown, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 427 · all 427s on the register
- Registration
- N427AL · no longer on the register · serial 56018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, about 25 minutes into the flight, he maneuvered the helicopter to avoid large birds. The pilot felt something impact the upper right side of the helicopter near the main rotor mast area. The helicopter began shaking violently and became difficult to control. He immediately decided to abort the flight. During the landing attempt, helicopter control was lost; the helicopter entered a left spin, impacted the ground, and rolled over. The main and tail rotor systems and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. The immediate decision to abort the flight after impact with the birds most likely aided the pilot in executing an emergency landing. Evidence of bird remains were present on components of the rotor head, two of the four pitch change rods, and the tail rotor. Both pitch change rods with bird remains were separated from one of their attach points. The bird remains were removed and sent to the Smithsonian Institute for identification. According to the report, male and female Black Vulture DNA was found on the pitch control rods, pitch control linkages, and the tail rotor. Examination of the rotor head parts found two pitch change links failed in tensile overstress; one of these exhibited an inward bending that could have been caused by a bird strike. The damage to the other pitch change link was most likely caused by the dynamic rollover as the rotor blades impacted the ground or other helicopter components. The accident sequence most likely initiated when the birds struck the pitch change rods.
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
What happened, in order
- Birdstrike during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Flight control sys malf/fail during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Roll over during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Main rotor system › Main rotor blade system › Damaged/degraded
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,132 hours in all; 427 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: February 15, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 427 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 3, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,345 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 2012; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,550 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PW207D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PBI Palm Beach FL at 1:35 pm
- Destination: OCF Ocala FL
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from SUA, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.