Robinson R44 Crashes in Biscayne Bay Off Key Biscayne; One Dead, Two Critical

Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office marine units answered a mayday at about 11:30 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, for a helicopter in Biscayne Bay off Nixon Beach. Deputies found a Good Samaritan giving CPR to an adult man, took over, and brought him to No Name Harbor. City of Miami Fire Rescue pronounced him dead there.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations then brought two more adult men from the wreck to the same dock. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue flew both to a hospital in critical but stable condition. MDSO said the commercial helicopter had been filming boats heading south. The FAA said the type was a Robinson R44. Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said there was no cause yet.

Key details

• Occupants: three adult males. Names were not released.
• NTSB is the accident lead. MDSO Homicide Bureau has the death case, PD261104-310292.
• Partners on scene included Key Biscayne police and fire, Florida Wildlife Commission, and both county and city fire rescue.

Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said investigators did not have a cause and were working with the FAA and the NTSB.

Why it matters

The flight was a commercial photo job over Biscayne Bay, not a scheduled airline sector. NTSB has the airframe; MDSO homicide has the fatality. No tail number has been released as confirmed.