City Line Heliport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sunday, March 23, 1986 13:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A AEROSPATIALE HELICOPTER AN A-STAR UNDER FAR 135 WITH PILOT AND 4 PASSENGERS ONCLIMB OUT REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF APPROX 100 TO 150' AGL WHEN PILOT AND PASSENGERS HEARD A LOUD BANG ACFT LOST POWER. PILOT ATTEMPTED AN AUTO ROTATION, DUE TO LOW AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND HARD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/23/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PHILADELPHIA
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CITY LINE HELIPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 250
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 825
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 23 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31169
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N512WW
NTSB Number NYC86FA092
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS350D
Aircraft Series Identifier AS350D
Aircraft Serial Number 1503
Certified Max Gross Weight 4300
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 8 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 51
Airframe Hours 551
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAMIN AVIATION CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 900 LINCOLN HARBOR DR.
Aircraft Owner City WEEHAWKEN
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07087
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAMIN AVIATION CORP.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 60TH
Departure City NEW YORK CITY
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CITY
Destination City PHILADELPHIA
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --