Hughes OH-6A accident near Fort Myers, Florida, December 20, 1999
On December 20, 1999 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Hughes OH-6A (helicopter), registered N72LC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Myers, Florida. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper maintenance inspection of the helicopter by unknown maintenance personnel, resulting in a worn control rod bearing being continued in service, and subsequent separation, resulting in an in-flight loss of control and a crash.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 1999 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Myers, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes OH-6A · all OH-6As on the register
- Registration
- N72LC · registry record · serial 68-17184
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to witnesses, the Lee County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) helicopter flew over the landing area and was on downwind when it suddenly turned to the right, and descend at a high rate of speed, in a nose low attitude, and impact a building. Postcrash examination revealed that the lateral control rod end fitting had separated from the control rod, and the fitting's bearing did not move freely, when compared to a normal rod end bearing. In addition, the rivet that normally passes through the lateral control rod and rod end fitting was missing. Dark and white deposits were found in the threaded region of the rod and rod end fitting, and laboratory analysis of those deposits revealed that the substances were aluminum oxides. Maintenance records show that the control rod had been inspected and modified by Heli-Tech, when the helicopter was first acquired, and had been delivered to the LCSO at about 3546 total flight hours. Following receipt of the helicopter from Heli-Tech, the operator's maintenance log did not indicate any specific maintenance entries related to the control rods. At the time of the accident the helicopter had accumulated 4419.4 flight hours.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,200 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,419 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 8, 1999; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison T63-A700 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FL at 12:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from RSW, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N72LC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.