Agusta Aerospace CORP AW119 MKII accident near Lumberton, New Jersey, May 1, 2014
On May 1, 2014 at about 3:11 pm local time, a 2008 Agusta Aerospace CORP AW119 MKII (helicopter), registered N119HF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Lumberton, New Jersey (South Jersey Rgnl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flightcrew's improper recovery from a simulated engine failure after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to clarify who had control of the helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2014 · about 3:11 pm local time
- Place
- Lumberton, New Jersey · South Jersey Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Agusta Aerospace CORP AW119 MKII, built 2008 · all AW119 MKIIs on the register
- Registration
- N119HF · no longer on the register · serial 14719
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight instructor, he gave the pilot under instruction (PUI) a simulated engine failure after takeoff when the helicopter reached approximately 50 knots. The PUI pulled the cyclic aft and increased collective. The flight instructor joined the PUI on the controls to prevent him from pulling too much collective and to lower the helicopter's nose to a level attitude. Both pilots were on the controls as the collective was increased to cushion the landing. The helicopter landed on the paved runway's centerline, and as it slid across what the pilots described as an uneven surface, it began to porpoise. The flight instructor lowered the collective to slow the slide and heard a noise, then the helicopter began vibrate and turned 220 degrees to the right before coming to a stop. During the slide, a main rotor blade cut off the tail boom. Neither pilot reported any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Flight crew
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Lack of communication › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,319 hours in all; 553 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 4,600 as pilot in command; 2,697 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 30, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: foreign licence, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 13, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,511 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 25, 2014; 29 hours since
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PT6B-37A (turboshaft); 1,121 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PT6B-37A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Agustawestland Philadelphia CORP
The flight
- Departed from: PNE Philadelphia PA at 1:25 pm
- Destination: VAY Lumberton NJ
- Runway 26, 3,881 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from VAY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA14CA216.