Hughes 500D accident near Bedford, Pennsylvania, June 7, 1984
On June 7, 1984 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Hughes 500D (helicopter), registered N5106Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bedford, Pennsylvania. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 1984 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bedford, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 500D
- Registration
- N5106Y · registry record · serial 1057D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE HELICOPTER TOOK OFF WITH UNDER 200 LBS OF FUEL INDICATING ON THE FUEL GAGE. FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF AT 125 FT AGL THE ENGINE OUT WARNING SYSTEM INDICATED AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE ACFT BEGAN TO ROTATE ABOUT ITS VETICAL AXIS AND DESCENDED. AT THIS POINT THE PLT OBSERVED THE FUEL GAGE TO BE 'ONE NEEDLE WIDTH BELOW THE 100 LB MARK.' THE PLT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE ALMOST TO THE BOTTOM THEN PULLED IT ALL THE WAY UP JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT WHICH OCCURRED IN A DESCENT RATE OF 800 TO 1000 FPM. THE IMPACT BROKE THE RIGHT SKID AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. AN INSPECTION OF THE ACFT FUEL SYSTEM FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE ANKS AND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE FUEL INDICATING SYSTEM.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,010 hours in all; 757 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 6,850 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 880 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison L-250B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BED Bedford PA at 12:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 NYC84LA204.