Bell 206B accident near Miami, Florida, December 20, 1994
On December 20, 1994 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N163BH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (CFI) FOR FAILURE TO NOTE REDUCTION IN CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TAIL ROTOR AND AN EMBANKMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 1994 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N163BH · no longer on the register · serial 3027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE OPERATING ON WATER THE PASSENGER NOTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS DRIFTING SOUTH TOWARDS AN EMBANKMENT. HE ANNOUNCED THIS OVER THE INTERCOM AND THE DUAL STUDENT LIFTED THE HELICOPTER TO HOVER DURING WHICH THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED THE EMBANKMENT. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS AND PERFORMED AN UNEVENTFUL AUTOROTATIVE LANDING TO THE WATER. BEFORE THE FLIGHT THE HELICOPTER RATED STUDENT ADVISED THE CFI THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE OPERATING A HELICOPTER EQUIPPED WITH FLOATS.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 850 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 9,000 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,222 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 20, 1994; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20J (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from TMB, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.