- Date
- August 31, 1987, 08:24 local (12:24 UTC)
- Place
- Opa Locka, FL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19870831080991A19870831080992A
- Case key
- 31777
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
A student plt & instructor (CFI) in Cessna 152, N48864, took off & entered rgt traffic to practice lndgs on rwy 9R. Soonthereafter, a helicopter plt (h/p) in a bell 47G-2, N6728D, took off & entered rgt traffic to practice lndgs in a desig-nated helicopter area (area-a) beside rwy 9R. The traffic pattern for area-a was inside & blo the pattern for rwy 9R. AT0816, when the h/p was clrd for tkof, the LCL ctlr (lc) adzd him of the Cessna making touch-&-go lndgs on rwy 9R. Abt 1 min ltr, the lc adzd the Cessna plts of the helicopter operating in area-a, but made no further traffic adzys to either acft. As the Cessna was on its 4th apch, the CFI simulated an emergency by reducing the pwr to idle. At that time, the h/p was on his 2nd apch. As the CFI & student contd on a base-to-final turn, the Cessna converged with the helicopter from the rear. At aprx 0824, the 2 acft collided, severing the Cessna's nose gear & damaging its prop & rgt main gear. The helicopter entered an unctld dscnt & crashed. The CFI took ctl of the Cessna & lndd on rwy 9R.
A student plt & instructor (CFI) in Cessna 152, N48864, took off & entered rgt traffic to practice lndgs on rwy 9R. Soonthereafter, a helicopter plt (h/p) in a bell 47G-2, N6728D, took off & entered rgt traffic to practice lndgs in a desig-nated helicopter area (area-a) beside rwy 9R. The traffic pattern for area-a was inside & blo the pattern for rwy 9R. AT0816, when the h/p was clrd for tkof, the LCL ctlr (lc) adzd him of the Cessna making touch-&-go lndgs on rwy 9R. Abt 1 min ltr, the lc adzd the Cessna plts of the helicopter operating in area-a, but made no further traffic adzys to either acft. As the Cessna was on its 4th apch, the CFI simulated an emergency by reducing the pwr to idle. At that time, the h/p was on his 2nd apch. As the CFI & student contd on a bass-to-final turn, the Cessna converged with the helicopter from the rear. At aprx 0824, the 2 acft collided, severing the Cessna's nose gear & damaging its prop & rgt main gear. The helicopter entered an unctld dscnt & crashed. The CFI took ctl of the Cessna & lndd on rwy 9R.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N48864
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15283383
- Airframe hours
- 3,258
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Airway Charters Ltd., Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 17, 1987 · 12 hours before
- Airport
- OPF · Opa Locka, runway 9R, 3,503 × 100 ft, asphalt
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.
- Registration
- N6728D
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2224
- Airframe hours
- 6,653
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kimura International, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Louisiana Farm Equipment, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 21, 1987 · 83 hours before
- Airport
- OPF · Opa Locka
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
- Pilot, aircraft N48864
- Age
- 28
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 650 total · 400 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N6728D
- Age
- 27
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 100 total · 31 in this make and model · 42 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 31 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OPF, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.