Aerospatiale AS-350D accident near Island Beach, New Jersey, June 19, 1984
On June 19, 1984 at about 6:55 am local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350D (helicopter), registered N5784M, was destroyed in an accident near Island Beach, New Jersey. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people were killed. 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
- June 19, 1984 · about 6:55 am local time
- Place
- Island Beach, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-350D · all AS-350Ds on the register
- Registration
- N5784M · no longer on the register · serial 1366
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI FLT DEPARTED FOR GARDEN CITY WITH ONE PAX. THE REPORTED WEATHER AT THE APRX TIME OF THE ACCIDENT INDICATED LOW CLOUDS, THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY INCLUDING RAIN AND LIGHTING. ONE WITNESS STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER FLYING AT AN ALTITUDE OF APRX 60 TO 80 FEET ABOVE THE WATER. THE HELICOPTER WRECKAGE WAS FOUND THE NEXT DAY ON THE BEACH. THE FLT HAD DELAYED ITS DEPARTUE FROM BADER AFTER A LATE SPECIAL FLT TO ACCOMIDATE ITS PAX. AT THE REQUEST OF THE PAX THE CREW DELAYED THEIR FINAL DEPARTURE OF THE FLT. LATER IN THE TERMINAL THIS DECISION WAS CHANGED AFTER THE CREW CHECKED THE WX. THE CREW PREVAILED UPON THE PAX TO ALLOW AN IMMEDIATE DEPARTURE DUE TO DETERIORATING WX. SHORTLY AFTER THEIR DEPARTURE A PHONE CALL FROM RACO WAS RECEIVED BY THE BADER DISPATCHER INQUIRING ABOUT THE FLT AND ADVISING THEM TO CANCEL DEPARTURE BECAUSE OF THE WX. THIS CALL REPORTEDLY CAME IN BET 0200-0230. WITNESS STATEMENTS VARYON TIMES CONCERNING THE FLT.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,186 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 161 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 1,961 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,266 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101-600A2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AIY
- Destination: Garden City NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; scat at 400 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:41 am from ACY, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.