Bell 206B accident near Miami, Florida, August 11, 1982
On August 11, 1982 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N7891S, was destroyed in an accident near Miami, Florida (Opalocka West airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1982 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Opalocka West
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7891S · no longer on the register · serial 074
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT FOR RECURRENT TRAINING AND INVOLVED AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION WITH A 10 FT LINE. WHILE PREPARING TO PICK UP AN 800 LB LOAD, THE HELICOPTER WAS MANEUVERED OVER THE OBJECT WITH SLACK IN THE LINE. THE INSTRUCTOR OBSERVED THAT THE HELICOPTER BEGAN DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT AND ADVISED THE OTHER PILOT TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE INSTRUCTOR BELIEVED THAT THE OTHER PILOT APPLIED LEFT CYCLIC, BUT ALSO PULLED UP ON THE COLLECTIVE. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT HIS ACTION WAS TO PULL THE MANUAL RELEASE AND TRY TO MAKE A CORRECTION WITH THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE LOAD DID NOT RELEASE, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE RIGHT, STRIKING THE GROUND. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT AIRFRAME OR ENGINE FAILURE. THE EXTERNAL LOAD RELEASES (ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL) WERE CHECKED AND BOTH OPERATED NORMALLY.
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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 3,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,425 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Burnside-Ott Aviation Training
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Tamiami FL at 9:00 am
- Destination: TMB Tamiami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 194°F (90°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 am from OPF, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.