Bell 206B accident near Sarasota, Florida, July 24, 1990
On July 24, 1990 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N2164Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sarasota, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER CONTROL INPUT AFTER THE LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1990 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2164Z · no longer on the register · serial 3494
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT WHILE FLYING AT ABOUT 35 MPH AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 3-5 FT ABOVE THE WATER & 50 FT ABEAM A BOAT WHICH WAS BEING FILMED BY PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE ACFT, THE ACFT YAWED TO THE RT, PITCHED DOWN & LEFT. HE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THIS BEFORE IMPACT. THE FLOATS WERE NOT DEPLOYED. DEBRIS FROM THE HELICOPTER INJURED A PAX IN THE BOAT. 1 OF THE 3 PAX IN THE HELICOPTER WAS UNABLE TO EXIT IT AFTER IMPACT DUE TO TAPE THAT HE PUT AROUND THE SEATBELT RELEASE MECHANISM. THE PLT ASSISTED HIM. EXAM OF THE HELIOCPTER REVEALED NO FLT CONTROL OR ENG FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 2,200 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3,690 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ at 12:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from SRQ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N2164Z 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.