A training helicopter crashed Saturday morning in a remote area of the Everglades, near Miramar, Florida, with two people on board who sustained minor injuries, local authorities reported.
According to the report from Sun Sentinel, the aircraft —a Robinson R22 with registration number N8316N— took off from North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines and crashed around 9:30 AM in the Bass Creek area, approximately half a kilometer from the US 27 South and Pembroke Road intersection.
On board were a flight instructor and his student, both of whom survived the accident with minor injuries.
The spokesperson for the Miramar Police, Janice McIntosh, explained that the aircraft "was flying close to the ground when it made contact with the surface and overturned onto one of its sides."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) described the incident as a rollover that occurred upon landing, near Opa-locka West Airport.
Given the inhospitable grassland where the aircraft crashed, the rescue required a technically complex operation.
The battalion chief Michael Kane from Broward Fire Rescue outlined the operation: "Our highly trained rescue paramedics performed an extremely technical hoisting maneuver, lowering a firefighter by cable from the helicopter to the remote marshes of the Everglades. The victim was secured and safely transported."
Both occupants were conscious and able to move independently at the time they were rescued, according to the Pembroke Pines Fire and Rescue Department (PPFR), which worked alongside Air and Water Rescue units from the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO).
The Pembroke Pines Police also joined the efforts and notified residents about possible traffic disruptions in the southwest area of the intersection of US 27 and Pembroke Road.
The crashed aircraft is registered to N8316N LLC, a limited liability company established in Delaware, according to FAA records.
The Robinson R22 is the most widely used two-seat training helicopter in flight schools around the world, and North Perry Airport holds approximately 75% of its operations in flight training, making it one of the most active pilot training centers in South Florida.
The south of Florida has recorded several aviation accidents in the Everglades and nearby areas in recent years, some with fatal consequences, highlighting the risks associated with flying at low altitudes over this difficult-to-access terrain.
The FAA remained at the scene investigating the incident, and the arrival of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was expected to continue the official investigation.
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