Agusta A109A II accident near Flamingo, Florida, September 6, 1996
On September 6, 1996 at about 8:13 am local time, a Agusta A109A II (helicopter), registered N169BH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flamingo, Florida. It was a positioning 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
The pilot being unable to stop the helicopter after encounter wet grass after making a precautionary landing in an unlit parking lot following loss of power in one engine and illumination of a transmission chip detector light.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1996 · about 8:13 am local time
- Place
- Flamingo, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Agusta A109A II · all A109A IIs on the register
- Registration
- N169BH · no longer on the register · serial 7290
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The No. 2 engine lost oil pressure in flight and the pilot shut it down. About 2 minutes later, after the pilot turned to a landing area, the transmission chip detector light illuminated. While making a precautionary landing in an unlit parking lot the pilot had to pull up to clear trees and touched down about half way across the parking lot. While attempting to stop the helicopter encountered wet grass and skidded into a wooded area. Post crash examination of the No. 2 engine showed the No. 8 bearing oil scavenge line was blocked by carbon and the engine oil had been pushed through a seal into the gas producing section of the engine. The metal on the transmission chip detector plugs came from the free wheeling unit washers which had worn.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,800 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 6,250 as pilot in command; 150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,761 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 28, 1996; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,730 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL at 7:50 am
- Destination: EYW Key West FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 am from HST, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.