Why did a helicopter land at this Florida Keys resort? The FAA just got involved
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a helicopter landing at a Florida Keys resort Monday night that local deputies found suspicious.
The 1978 Bell 206 landed around 8:30 p.m. at the Key Largo Bay Marriott Beach Resort at mile marker 103, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies tracked the aircraft after seeing it flying low, Deputy Cody Jackson stated in his report.
Jackson and fellow Deputy Ignacio Molina lost sight of the chopper as it flew over Florida Bay, but continued to hear it. They drove to the Marriott and asked employees if they were expecting a helicopter to land, and they said they had not, according to Cody’s report.
The helicopter landed on what employees described as a landing pad, but which deputies said was a poorly lit dock.
The pilot told deputies he had permission from the hotel manager to land there.
Adam Linhardt, spokesman for the sheriff’s office, said the helicopter had four passengers, and the pilot said he was supposed to take them to the Marriott for dinner, then take them back to Miami.
Representatives for the helicopter’s owner, Miami Helicopter, said the pilot had permission to land at the hotel and did nothing improper or unsafe.
“Miami Helicopters had a drop off to bring some guest to dinner there and had received permission from the hotel to land at the resort prior to departure and where we have landed many times,” Jason Costello said in an email. “Our pilot did a normal high recon to look for obstacles by circling several times at around 300-500 feet above the resort. He then landed at the designated helipad that we have landed numerous times.”
Costello said that deputies told the pilot they were investigating a report of a low-flying helicopter. He said the manager then told police the helicopter had permission to be there.
“At no time did we do anything unsafe or without prior approval. Miami Helicopters followed all procedures by the book and did not at anytime land without any authorization,” Costello said.
The FAA arrived to investigate whether “all federal protocols/procedures were followed for the night landing,” Linhardt said.
This story was originally published February 25, 2020 at 12:04 PM.
