Bell 206B accident near Vero Beach, Florida, July 9, 1991
On July 9, 1991 at about 1:00 am local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N333FC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida (Vero Beach Municipal airport). It was a business 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 PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER DESCENT RATE RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1991 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida · Vero Beach Municipal · map
- 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
- N333FC · registry record · serial 1763
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS 4 MILES WEST OF AN ARPT WHEN THE FUEL PUMP WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE PLT LANDED HARD RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE TAILBOOM.
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: 3,500 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,746 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 13, 1990; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C18 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skyline Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MCO Orlando FL
- Destination: SUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N333FC 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.