Bell 206L-1 accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 24, 2002
On May 24, 2002 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N80PH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The excessive rate of descent by the pilot-in-command during the autorotative landing resulting in a hard landing, following a total loss of engine power caused by failure of the No. 4 bearing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2002 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N80PH · registry record · serial 45401
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, while en route at an altitude of 400 feet, he heard a big bang and felt a "strong" left and right yaw. He performed an emergency shutdown of the engine, and did an autorotation landing on a beach. The investigation revealed fracture failure of the no.4 engine bearing. At the time of the accident, the roller bearings had approximately 5,487 hours since being installed in the engine on June 12, 1992, which was subsequently installed on the helicopter on September 3, 1992.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 920 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 11, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,056.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 2001; 89.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KFXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 5:05 pm
- Destination: FD23 Miami FL
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KFLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N80PH 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.