NTSB MIA90LA018 — 1989-10-28 · WEST PALM BEACH, Florida, United States

N6359E has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL INC RX 8), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

N6359E Bell 47G Minor

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE AND GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS.

Factual narrative

THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER MAKING AN APCH FOR LNDG INTO THE WIND, HE FLEW THE HELICOPTER TO A 6 FT HOVER. HE INITIATED A LEFT PEDAL TURN TO A HEADING OF APRX 220 DEG. ON THIS HEADING, THE WIND WAS FROM THE RIGHT REAR. THE PLT RPRTD THERE WAS AN ABRUPT PITCH-DOWN OF THE HELICOPTER'S NOSE. HE APPLIED FULL AFT CYCLIC & COLLECTIVE PITCH, FOLLOWED BY RIGHT PEDAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO TURN THE HELICOPTER INTO THE WIND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER HIT THE GROUND WITH THE RIGHT SKID IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE & WAS DAMAGED. THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS FROM 330 DEG AT 14 GUSTING 25 KTS. ABOUT 8 MI AWAY AT PALM BEACH INTL ARPT, THE WIND WAS FROM 360 DEG AT 17 KTS. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN LOADED TO ITS MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE MOMENT ARM. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_MIA90LA018.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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