Hughes 500D accident near Newark, New Jersey, January 4, 1985
On January 4, 1985 at about 8:05 pm local time, a Hughes 500D (helicopter), registered N1106M, suffered minor damage in an accident near Newark, New Jersey (Helistop airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- January 4, 1985 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Newark, New Jersey · Helistop
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 500D
- Registration
- N1106M · no longer on the register · serial 610949D
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PASSENGER DEPLANED AND WALKED REARWARD TO RETREIVE HIS LUGGAGE FROM THE LEFT REAR SEAT OF THE HELICOPTER DURING THE COOLING DOWN STAGE OF THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN. AFTER DEPLANNING HE PROCEEDED REARWARD UNDER THE MAIN ROTOR WASH. WHEN REAR OF THE TAIL ROTOR HE WALKED INTO THE ROTATING BLADES.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 47 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 1984; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JFK Jamaica NY
- Destination: 01NJ Newark NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from EWR, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.