Us/Lta 138S AIRSHIP accident near New York, New York, July 4, 1993
On July 4, 1993 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Us/Lta 138S AIRSHIP, registered N832US, was destroyed in an accident near New York, New York. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE DESIGN OF, AND DESIGN STANDARDS FOR, THE AIRSHIP WHICH RESULTED IN AN ENVELOPE FAILURE FOLLOWING SEPARATION OF A PORTION OF THE NIGHT SIGN EQUIPMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1993 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- New York, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Us/Lta 138S AIRSHIP 138S AIRSH
- Registration
- N832US · registry record · serial 002
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE CRUISING AT 800 FT HE EXPERIENCED SEVERE BUFFETING WITH A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. HE WAS LOSING ALTITUDE SO HE INCREASED ENGINE POWER TO REDUCE HIS SINK RATE. THE PASSENGER REPORTED TO THE PILOT THAT THE NIGHT SIGN SEEMED TO BE COMING LOOSE. THE AIRSHIP CAME TO REST DRAPED OVER A SEVEN STORY BUILDING. A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE AIRSHIP HEADING SOUTH. HE REPORTED THAT IT SEEMED NORMAL; HOWEVER, SHORTLY THEREAFTER HE NOTICED A HOLE ON THE UNDERSIDE WHICH KEPT GETTING LARGER. PRIOR TO THE TEAR THE WITNESS REPORTED SEEING A SMALL DARK MASS WITH A WHITE FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FALL FROM THE AIRSHIP. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRSHIP REVEALED THAT A SECTION OF THE RIGHT BANNER, WHICH WAS SECURED TO THE ENVELOPE BY VELCRO TAPE, AND A PROJECTOR, WHICH WAS LACED TO A LACING STRIP GLUED TO THE ENVELOPE, HAD SEPARATED TEARING THE ENVELOPE. THE ENVELOPE DID NOT CONTAIN SEAMS TO PREVENT TEARS NOR WAS THE FABRIC TEAR RESISTANT. HOWEVER THE FABRIC MET OR EXCEEDED DESIGN AND FAA REGULATORY STRENGTH LIMITS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 5,100 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 2, 1993; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K2A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Us/Lta Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: BED Bedford MA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: LDJ Linden NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from LGA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N832US the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.