- Date
- August 15, 2026, 08:25 local (12:25 UTC)
- Place
- Miramar, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8316NRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 1, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20260815009939A
- Case key
- 203610
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter during a hover, which resulted in the left skid contacting ground and a subsequent dynamic rollover.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight instructor stated that student pilot was practicing off airport landings in the helicopter. After conducting a normal approach, they transitioned the helicopter into a hover about 2 to 3 ft above the ground. While at a hover, and with both the student pilot and the flight instructor touching the controls, the flight instructor turned his attention to clearing the tail rotor. While the flight instructor’s attention was focused outside the helicopter, the helicopter drifted to the left, descended, after which the left skid contacted the ground. The helicopter (dynamically) rolled on to its left side resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, main rotor system, tail rotor system, and empennage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8316N
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2480
- Built
- 1994
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- N8316n LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 7, 2026 · 70 hours before
- Departed
- HWO · Pembroke Pines, FL
- Equipment
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 33
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 4, 2025
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 520 total · 448 in this make and model · 460 as pilot in command · 160 in the last 90 days · 59 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Unknown
- Last flight review
- July 31, 1992
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 41.4 total · 41.4 in this make and model · 10.4 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 7.5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 79 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- OPF, 9 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KOPF 151153Z 13008KT 10SM CLR 29/26 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP202 60000 T02940256 10300 20278 53004
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 1, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8316N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.