Aerospatiale AS350D accident near Dover Township, New Jersey, August 14, 1983
On August 14, 1983 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS350D (helicopter), registered N900JA, was destroyed in an accident near Dover Township, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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 14, 1983 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dover Township, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350D · all AS350Ds on the register
- Registration
- N900JA · registry record · serial 1433
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER FLY ALONG THE BEACH AT ALT OF ABOUT 100-150 MSL, ENTER A BANK TO THE RIGHT AND DESCENDINTO THE WATER AT AN ANGLE OF ABOUT 45 DEG. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE FAILED TO REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT DISCREPANCIES OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE.
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; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,050 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 440 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 28, 1983; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101-600A2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Trinity Jet, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: N12 Lakewood NJ at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from NEL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 | 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.
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.