Southwest Florida Aviation SW204 accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, May 24, 2000
On May 24, 2000 at about 12:20 pm local time, a Southwest Florida Aviation SW204 (helicopter), registered N37BA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight separation of a tail rotor blade tip weight resulting in tail rotor assembly imbalance and separation due to the installation of an unapproved rotor blade by company maintenance personnel, and the subsequent collision with trees during an emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2000 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Southwest Florida Aviation SW204
- Registration
- N37BA · registry record · serial 1104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, at 50 feet, agl and 35 mph over an orange grove, he felt a shudder and heard cracking noises from the rear of the helicopter. He tried to put the rotorcraft down between rows of trees, but lost all control during his landing attempt, started spinning, and rolled over. The tail rotor assembly was located 400 feet from the wreckage with one rotor blade tip weight missing. Factory examination revealed the cause of the separation of the tip weight was corrosion of the adhesive bond between the blade skin, the blade spar, and the tip weight. The blade's data plate was missing and the data plate recess was smoothed over. The blade part and serial number provided by the operator did not match factory assembly records, and the factory was encouraged by the FAA to file a 'Suspected Unapproved Parts' report.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,924 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,827 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 9, 2000; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-L-11D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ft. Pierce FL at 12:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from FPR, 10 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.
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.