Sikorsky S-76A accident near Fort Dix, New Jersey, August 11, 1984
On August 11, 1984 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Sikorsky S-76A (helicopter), registered N63WW, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Dix, New Jersey (Mcguire Afb airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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 11, 1984 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Dix, New Jersey · Mcguire Afb
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-76A · all S-76As on the register
- Registration
- N63WW · no longer on the register · serial 760188
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCREW OF THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED MCGUIRE RAPCON & OBTAINED CLEARANCE TO PROCEED THRU THE MCGUIRE AFB CONTROL ZONE AT 1500 FT. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND HEARD A LOUD 'BANG' & OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER SUDDENLY LOSE ALT. THE HELICOPTER RECOVERED FROM THE DESCENT & BEGAN A TURN TOWARD RWY 6/24 AT MCGUIRE AFB, THEN IT VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT & CRASHED INTO WOODED TERRAIN ON FT DIX. TREES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE DAMAGED AT AN 80 DEG ANGLE FROM THE HORIZON. FIRE IN THE AREA OF THE ENGS WAS EXTINGUISHED WITH HALNON 1211 & AFFF AGENTS. AN EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE OF A LEFT ENG FAILURE. THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT FRAGMENTS FROM THE LEFT ENG TURBINE HAD IMPACTED THE RGT ENG WHILE IT (THE RGT ENG) WAS PRODUCING POWER. ONE OF THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL CABLES & THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WERE SEVERED IN THE AREA OF THE RGT ENG. A METALURGICAL CHECK REVEALED INDICATIONS OF HI CYCLIC FATIGUE OF THE 2ND STAGE GAS PRODUCER TURBINE WHEEL IN THE CURVIC COUPLING & LABYRINTH SEAL AREA.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 775 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 94 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250-C3OS (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMU Morristown NJ at 4:50 pm
- Destination: AIY Atlantic NJ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 6, 10,000 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft; not recorded at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:10 pm from WRI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.