Airport Helicopter Crash
Four People Hospitalized After Helicopter Crashes During Takeoff at Florida Airport
Key Points
The crash was reported to have occurred at 11:15 a.m. at North Perry Airport, according to the Pembroke Pines Police Department.
Pembroke Pines Fire Department paramedics said all four injured people were "out of the helicopter and walking" by the time crews arrived, and all were transported to Memorial Regional Hospital with injuries described as stable and not life-threatening.
Local 10 reported the crash response location as 101 SW 77th Way and said authorities had not immediately released details about the victim(s) or what led to the crash.
The Sun Sentinel quoted Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue Division Chief Jason Stepp saying the helicopter occupants were a pilot and three passengers; he added that they were adults but that he did not have additional identifying information at the time.
CBS News added context on the airport’s setting, saying North Perry Airport sits on the eastern edge of Pembroke Pines near the Broward College–South Campus.
A Robinson R44 helicopter crashed during takeoff at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, Florida, at 11:15 a.m. on Friday, injuring four people, WPTV reported. The pilot and three passengers were all out of the wreckage and walking by the time first responders arrived, WSVN reported, and all four were taken to Memorial Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the downed aircraft as a Robinson R44 and launched an investigation focused on the takeoff phase of the flight, according to WSVN. The crash is the second aviation incident at the busy South Florida airport in just over two weeks.
All Four Walked Away From the Wreckage
Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue Division Chief Jason Stepp confirmed that all four occupants — one pilot and three adult passengers — were already outside the helicopter when crews arrived at 101 SW 77th Way, Sun Sentinel reported. Paramedics described their injuries as stable and not life-threatening. Stepp said the helicopter sustained moderate damage but added he had no further identifying information about those on board at the time.
All four were transported to Memorial Regional Hospital, according to CBS News. The rapid self-evacuation likely reduced exposure to post-crash hazards like fire and fuel ignition, consistent with the relatively minor outcomes reported. Pembroke Pines Police are assisting the FAA in determining what caused the crash.
North Perry's Second Crash in Fifteen Days
The June 12 crash is the latest in a string of incidents at North Perry Airport, which the Miami Herald reported has seen roughly 41 aviation accidents over the past five years. On May 29, 2026 — just two weeks earlier — a Cessna 172 experienced engine failure and crashed near a state hospital, with two occupants reported conscious and breathing. No serious injuries were recorded in that incident.
North Perry handles about 317,000 aircraft operations per year, making it the busiest federal contract tower facility in the United States, according to FAA data. It sits on 511 acres near the Broward College–South Campus and hosts 11 flight schools and 68 aviation-related businesses, generating roughly $157 million in annual economic impact.
Mayor Calls for Closure as Political Tension Builds
Pembroke Pines Mayor Angelo Castillo has been the loudest political voice against the airport. After the May 29 crash, he said: "These kind of occurrences are happening over and over and over and I've had it... If they can't make it safe then they need to close it the hell down," according to Local 10 News. Community members have shown up to city commission meetings with signs reading "Close North Perry."
Broward County, which owns and operates the airport, has pushed back. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association argues North Perry's crash rate is statistically consistent with other high-volume training airports nationwide. Just two days before Friday's crash, on June 10, county officials reported progress on three safety initiatives: a comprehensive safety assessment, lead emissions screening, and a new Community Advisory Committee, the Miami Herald reported.
FAA and NTSB Now Reviewing Takeoff Phase Evidence
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board were notified and began preliminary investigation steps Friday afternoon, Local 10 News reported. Investigators are focusing on the takeoff phase — the point at which the R44 went down. Authorities have not yet released the names of the pilot or passengers, and no cause has been named.
A full cause determination typically requires wreckage analysis, pilot records, and maintenance history. If investigators find maintenance issues — similar to allegations raised after the May crash, where a student pilot said the plane had takeoff trouble days earlier — flight schools at the airport could face higher insurance costs or permit reviews, the Miami Herald reported.
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