Hughes 500D accident near New Braunfels, Texas, May 2, 1984
On May 2, 1984 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Hughes 500D (helicopter), registered N5063G, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Braunfels, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1984 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Braunfels, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 500D
- Registration
- N5063G · registry record · serial 711021D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DESPITE ADVERSE WX WHICH FORCED THE PLT TO STOP ONCE ENROUTE TO HIS DEST THE FLT WAS CONTINUED. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST WHEN THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED THE TERRAIN SEPARATING BOTH TAIL ROTOR BLADES FROM THE ACFT AND TORSIONALLY SHEARING THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT. PWR WAS REDUCED AND THEPLT AUTOROTATED INTO A FIELD. THE TAILBOOM WAS STRUCK BY THEMAIN ROTOR BLADE DURING THE LDG. DURING THE LDG.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,120 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 835 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1984; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kerrville TX at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 3R5 New Braunfels TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from SAT, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N5063G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 FTW84LA217.