Mcguire Afb Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Dix, New Jersey 08640
Saturday, August 11, 1984 13:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCREW OF THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED MCGUIRE RAPCON & OBTAINED CLEARANCE TO PROCEED THRU THE MCGUIRE AFB CONTROL ZONE AT 1500 FT. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND HEARD A LOUD 'BANG' & OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER SUDDENLY LOSE ALT. THE HELICOPTER RECOVERED FROM THE DESCENT & BEGAN A TURN TOWARD RWY 6/24 AT MCGUIRE AFB, THEN IT VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT & CRASHED INTO WOODED TERRAIN ON FT DIX. TREES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE DAMAGED AT AN 80 DEG ANGLE FROM THE HORIZON. FIRE IN THE AREA OF THE ENGS WAS EXTINGUISHED WITH HALNON 1211 & AFFF AGENTS. AN EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE OF A LEFT ENG FAILURE. THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT FRAGMENTS FROM THE LEFT ENG TURBINE HAD IMPACTED THE RGT ENG WHILE IT (THE RGT ENG) WAS PRODUCING POWER. ONE OF THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL CABLES & THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WERE SEVERED IN THE AREA OF THE RGT ENG. A METALURGICAL CHECK REVEALED INDICATIONS OF HI CYCLIC FATIGUE OF THE 2ND STAGE GAS PRODUCER TURBINE WHEEL IN THE CURVIC COUPLING & LABYRINTH SEAL AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/11/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1310
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FORT DIX
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08640
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MCGUIRE AFB
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WRI
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 150
Airport Elevation 133
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1310 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID WRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 133
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2069
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29317
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N63WW
NTSB Number NYC84MA270
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SIKORSKY
Aircraft Model S-76A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-76A
Aircraft Serial Number 760188
Certified Max Gross Weight 10300
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 94
Airframe Hours 94
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CAPITAL EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 237 SOUTH STREET
Aircraft Owner City MORRISTOWN
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07960
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MMU
Departure City MORRISTOWN
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1250
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AIY
Destination City ATLANTIC
Destination State NJ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length 10000
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --