Aerospatiale SF3130 accident near Buckeye, Arizona, August 12, 1985
On August 12, 1985 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Aerospatiale SF3130 (helicopter), registered N537, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buckeye, Arizona. It was a personal 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).
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
- August 12, 1985 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Buckeye, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SF3130
- Registration
- N537 · no longer on the register · serial 1150
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A HOVER IN A CONFINED AREA THE PLT MISINTERPETED HIS PASSG SIGNAL TO MOVE TO A DIFERENT LOCATION AS A SIGNAL THAT THE TAIL ROTOR WAS IN DANGER. THE PLT USED ABRUPT CONTROL MOVEMENTS THAT RESULTED IN THE TOE OF A SKID HOOKING INTO A WIRE FENCE. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER AFTER THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE LNDG, ACCORDING TO THE PLTS REPORT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,300 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 7,150 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 826 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 27, 1985; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSTE IIIB (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Helicopter Assoc. INC
The flight
- Departed from: GYR Litchfield AZ at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from LUF, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.