Mcdonnell Douglas HU-600N accident near Miami, FL

On March 3, 2000, a Mcdonnell Douglas HU-600N (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Miami, FL. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

March 3, 2000

Place

Miami, FL

Aircraft

Mcdonnell Douglas HU-600N · Helicopter

Injuries

2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

25.660°N, 80.359°W

NTSB ID

20001212X20685

Official records · MIA00FA102

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• Transcript of Radio Communications: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 3, 2000, at about 1529 eastern standard time, a McDonnell Douglas HU-600N, N611BC, registered to General Electric Capital Corporation, operated by WTVJ NBC 6, as a 14 CFR Part 91 photography flight, crashed in a residential area while maneuvering in the vicinity of Miami, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was destroyed by a post crash fire. The airline transport pilot and news photographer were fatally injured. The flight originated from Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport (TMB), Miami, Florida, about 26 minutes before the accident. Friends of the pilot who were flying in another helicopter (N97UP) stated N611BC (Sky 6) was inbound to TMB when they talked to him on an air to air frequency. They got a visual location on each other and N611BC made a 180-degree turn, passed below them, and then joined up on their right side with about 300 yards separation in straight and level flight. They talked for a while and then Sky 6 departed. The pilot of N97UP observed Sky 6 initiate a descent which he estimated to be about a 15-degree nose-down attitude. His passenger estimated the descent at about a 45-degree nose-down attitude. The pilot observed the nose pull up to about a 30-degree nose-up attitude, and then pitched up about 70-degrees. The passenger stated the nose pulled up to an attitude past the 90-degree point. The helicopter yawed to the left, held there and appeared to be sliding backwards. The nose started to pitch down and the tail boom assembly separated. The helicopter descended and

Probable cause

The pilot's ostentatious display and in-flight decision to perform an abrupt low altitude pitch up maneuver (aerobatic flight). This resulted in the main rotor blades colliding with and separating the tail boom assembly while maneuvering, and the helicopters subsequent in-flight collision with terrain.

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.