Aerospatiale AS350D accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 23, 1986
On March 23, 1986 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS350D (helicopter), registered N512WW, was destroyed in an accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (City Line Heliport airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries; 3 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
- March 23, 1986 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · City Line Heliport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350D · all AS350Ds on the register
- Registration
- N512WW · registry record · serial 1503
- 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
A AEROSPATIALE HELICOPTER AN A-STAR UNDER FAR 135 WITH PILOT AND 4 PASSENGERS ONCLIMB OUT REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF APPROX 100 TO 150' AGL WHEN PILOT AND PASSENGERS HEARD A LOUD BANG ACFT LOST POWER. PILOT ATTEMPTED AN AUTO ROTATION, DUE TO LOW AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND HARD.
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: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 1,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 551 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 1986; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS101600A3 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Damin Aviation CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: 60TH New York City NY at 6:00 pm
- Destination: CITY Philadelphia PA
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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.