Aerospatiale SA360C DAUPHIN accident near New York, New York, April 26, 1985
On April 26, 1985 at about 7:23 pm local time, a Aerospatiale SA360C DAUPHIN (helicopter), registered N49505, was substantially damaged in an accident near New York, New York (E34Th Strett Heliport airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed and 4 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1985 · about 7:23 pm local time
- Place
- New York, New York · E34Th Strett Heliport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 4 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA360C DAUPHIN SA360C DAU
- Registration
- N49505 · no longer on the register · serial 1006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT LAGUARDIA ARPT, WND WAS FM 320 DEG AT 16 GSTG 22 KTS. PIC RPRTD WND AT HELIPORT (ON WEST BANK OF EAST RVR) WAS FM SW.OBSTACLES WERE LOCATED ALONG WEST EDGE OF HELIPORT. PIC RPRTD HE MADE PWR CHECK, THEN BGN ROLLING TAKEOFF WITH RGT QTRG HDWND. AS ACFT WAS CLIMBING (APRX 5' AGL) OVR EAST EDGE OF HELIPORT, PIC NOTED A 'POPPING' SOUND, LOSS OF ENG PWR & MAINROTOR RPM, RISE IN EGT. ACFT BGN SETTLING & PLT TRIED DEPLOYING EMERG FLOATS, BUT DIDN'T HAVE TIME. ACFT IMPACTED WATER,ROLLED OVR & SANK. ONE PAX DID NOT EGRESS & DROWNED WITH HIS SEAT BELT STILL FASTENED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ENG HAD ERROSION OF 1ST STAGE COMPRESSOR BLADES, CONTAMINATION ON BLADES/COMPRESSOR HOUSING & A LOW FUEL FLOW ADJUSTMENT OF THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF ENG SURGE/COMPRESSOR STALL. DENSITY ALT WAS 1600'. FOUR OF 5 PAX RPRTD THEYDID NOT RECEIVE INTRUCTION ON FLOATATION DEVICES/SEAT BELTS & THEY WERE NOT SHOWN THE BRIEFING CARDS. AEROSPATIALE SVC BULLETIN FOR IMPROVED TYPE 343 SEAT BELT BUCKLES (TO PREVENT BLOCKAGE OR FAILURE TO UNLOCK) WAS NOT COMPLIED WITH.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,445 hours in all; 163 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,051 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 30, 1985; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,615 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ASTAZOU-XVIII (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: JFK New York NY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from LGA, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 | 2 |
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.
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.