Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 accident near Miami, Florida, April 8, 1986
On April 8, 1986 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 (helicopter), registered N428FH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- April 8, 1986 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 · all FH-1100s on the register
- Registration
- N428FH · no longer on the register · serial 131
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON A SUPERVISED SOLO FLT & WAS HOVERING. THE HELICOPTER WAS SEEN TO WOBBLE, ROLL TO THE RIGHT & CRASH TO THE GROUND. THE OWNER OF THE HELICOPTER STATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN THE ACFT JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT & THE ACFT PERFORMED NORMALLY. FLT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HELICOPTER HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AS SENSITIVE.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 309 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 10 in the last 30 days; 197 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,530 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250-C18 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Craig Enterprises, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:48 pm from TMB, 7 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.