Bell 206B accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, December 6, 1990
On December 6, 1990 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N2756P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida (St. Lucie Cnty Int'L airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 INCORRECT CYCLIC CONTROL INPUT BY THE STUDENT DURING THE TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION LANDING AND FAILURE OF THE CFI TO CORRECT THIS BEFORE THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 1990 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida · St. Lucie Cnty Int'L
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2756P · registry record · serial 2655
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PERFORMING A TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION AT ABOUT 3 FT AGL, THE STUDENT INITIATED CUSHIONING COLLECTIVE PITCH & LEVELED THE HELICOPTER. AT APRX 1 FT AGL, THE STUDENT APPLIED AFT CYCLIC CONTROL & THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN ON THE AFT PORTION OF THE SKIDS. THE INSTRUCTOR & STUDENT APPLIED FWD CYCLIC CONTROL & THE HELICOPTER ROCKED BACK & FORTH SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE COMING TO REST. NO CONTROL INPUT WAS MADE BY THE CFI BEFORE IMPACT.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 1,600 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Safety Int'L, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:47 pm from FPR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.