Bell 430 accident near Miami Gardens, Florida, December 21, 2014
On December 21, 2014 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 2006 Bell 430 (helicopter), registered N430WH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Miami Gardens, Florida (Dolphin Stadium Helipad airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of his helicopter's position relative to a parked helicopter during a pedal turn.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 2014 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Miami Gardens, Florida · Dolphin Stadium Helipad · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 430, built 2006 · all 430s on the register
- Registration
- N430WH · registry record · serial 49114
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he made a "normal" approach to a helipad and subsequently hover-taxied to the parking area. Two other helicopters were parked on opposite sides of the parking area, and per existing procedures, the pilot hover-taxied his helicopter to the center of the parking area and commenced a pedal turn to align it with the others. About 90 degrees through the turn, a tail rotor blade from the pilot's helicopter impacted a main rotor blade tip on one of the parked helicopters, resulting in substantial damage to the tail rotor blade. The pilot subsequently completed the turn and landed without further incident. The pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,530 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 29, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 871 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 2014; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls Royce 250C40B (turboshaft); 871 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls Royce 250C40B (turboshaft); 871 hours total
- Operator: Southern Aircraft Services INC
The flight
- Departed from: SUA Stuart FL at 5:10 pm
- Destination: 0FD2 Miami Gardens FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from HWO, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.