Bell TH-13T accident near Lake Wales, Florida, September 2, 1992
On September 2, 1992 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Bell TH-13T (helicopter), registered N9596Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Wales, Florida. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). The NTSB record does not give the injuries. 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1992 · about 1:30 pm local time · cases in 1992
- Place
- Lake Wales, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell TH-13T · all TH-13Ts on the register
- Registration
- N9596Z · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Not recorded
- Operator: Polk CO. Environmental Ser.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:57 am from MCO
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9596Z: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Bell TH-13 19 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Bell 3,079 aircraft on the register
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 988 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,698 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/MIA92T%23A03.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.