Officials said the helicopter hit a parked airplane while preparing to leave North Perry Airport.
PEMBROKE PINES, FL — Four people were taken to a hospital Saturday after a helicopter rolled over during takeoff and struck a parked plane at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, authorities said.
The crash brought police, fire rescue crews and federal aviation officials to one of Broward County’s busiest general aviation airports. Authorities said the injuries were not considered life-threatening, but the wreck renewed local concern about safety at an airport surrounded by homes, schools, roads and businesses.
Pembroke Pines police said officers responded to the airport, at 101 SW 77th Way, after the crash was reported late Saturday morning. Fire rescue crews also went to the airport grounds. Authorities said the helicopter was getting ready to lift off when it rolled over and hit a parked airplane. The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Robinson R44 helicopter. Officials said four people were on board when the crash happened. All four were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue officials said the patients had injuries that were not life-threatening and were in stable condition.
Witness Daniel Sayu told 7News the helicopter was only about 20 to 30 feet above the ground when it tipped over. “The helicopter was taking off, maybe 20, 30 feet off the ground. And then it tipped over,” Sayu said. He said debris scattered after the impact, including a rear propeller that broke away from the aircraft. The Robinson R44 was left on its side at the airport. Officials did not immediately release the names, ages or hometowns of the four people aboard. They also did not say whether anyone was inside or near the parked airplane when it was struck.
The crash happened after flight records showed the helicopter had completed a round-trip tour of Miami, according to local reports. It was taking off for another trip shortly after 11 a.m. when it came down and struck the empty plane nearby. The exact cause remained unknown Sunday. Officials had not released details about weather, pilot experience, mechanical condition or whether the helicopter was owned by a tour operator, flight school or private party. An owner contacted by 7News said he was sorry about the crash and declined further comment.
The incident added to scrutiny of North Perry Airport, which sits in a dense part of southwest Broward County. The airport has long served small planes, helicopters and flight training traffic, but nearby residents and city officials have raised concerns after past crashes in and around Pembroke Pines. On May 29, a small plane crashed just after takeoff from North Perry and landed near South Florida State Hospital. Two people were hospitalized in that crash. In July 2025, a Cessna T337G crashed into a tree in a Pembroke Pines neighborhood while approaching the airport, injuring four people aboard.
Pembroke Pines Mayor Angelo Castillo has pushed for closer review of airport safety after earlier crashes. After the May 29 crash, Castillo said the threat tied to the airport should be treated seriously. Following Saturday’s helicopter crash, he said Broward County should move faster on air quality and safety studies for the airport, calling the crash record a danger to Pembroke Pines and nearby communities. North Perry Airport passed its annual Florida Department of Transportation inspection in May, according to 7News.
The FAA, Pembroke Pines Police Department and Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue were investigating the crash. Federal investigators typically review aircraft records, pilot information, maintenance history, weather, air traffic details and wreckage before issuing findings. Police were assisting at the scene, while fire rescue handled medical response and transport. No charges or citations had been announced as of Sunday, and officials had not released a timeline for when preliminary findings would be available.
At the airport, witnesses described a fast-moving scene as emergency crews reached the damaged helicopter and parked plane. Sayu said the crash unfolded so quickly that it felt like time slowed. Jorge Trigoso, who works near the crash site, said operations around the airport must be handled carefully. “It’s the thing where we have to do the very right things with the operations,” Trigoso said.
All four people aboard the helicopter survived and were reported in stable condition. Investigators had not identified a cause by Sunday, June 14, and the next major update is expected to come from aviation and local authorities after they review the aircraft and crash scene.
Author note: Last updated June 14, 2026.