Bell 206-L-1 accident near Hollywood, Florida, October 6, 1991
On October 6, 1991 at about 9:27 pm local time, a Bell 206-L-1 (helicopter), registered N78CF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hollywood, Florida (North Perry 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM AND THE FAILURE OF THE CFI TO MONITOR THE CONTROLS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1991 · about 9:27 pm local time
- Place
- Hollywood, Florida · North Perry · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206-L-1 · all 206-L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N78CF · registry record · serial 45206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT SIMULATED AN ENGINE FAILURE AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A 180-DEGREE AUTOROTATION. DURING THE FLARE AND CUSHION THE PILOT ALLOWED THE ROTOR RPM TO DECAY AND THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT DID NOT MONITOR THE PILOT'S USE OF THE COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL. SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN A VIBRATION WAS FELT AND THE TAILBOOM FAILED.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 400 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: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C-28 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Observation at 9:30 pm from HWO, 1 miles away
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.