Agusta A109A MKII accident near Lacey Township, New Jersey, October 10, 1989
On October 10, 1989 at about 5:29 pm local time, a Agusta A109A MKII (helicopter), registered N21FL, was destroyed in an accident near Lacey Township, New Jersey. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 5 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF A MAIN ROTOR BLADE DUE TO FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE SPAR, WHICH ORIGINATED AT A MANUFACTURING INDUCED SCRATCH (TOOL MARK) THAT WAS THE RESULT OF INADEQUATE QUALITY CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 1989 · about 5:29 pm local time · cases in 1989
- Place
- Lacey Township, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Agusta A109A MKII · all A109A MKIIs on the register
- Registration
- N21FL · registry record · serial 7309
- 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
AS THE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLT AT AN ALT OF 2200' MSL, A PORTION OF ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEPARATED. THE SUBSEQUENT IMBALANCE RESULTED IN SEPARATION OF THE TRANSMISSION & MAIN ROTOR ASSEMBLY FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER THEN CRASHED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. A METALLURGICAL EXAM OF THE SEPARATED BLADE REVEALED THAT IT HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE. THE FRACTURE HAD INITIATED AT A MANUFACTURING INDUCED SCRATCH IN THE SPAR OF THE BLADE. THE SCRATCH WAS ON THE INNER SURFACE OF THE SPAR AT BLADE STATION 2825 (IN MILLIMETERS), NEAR THE LEAD BALANCE WT. IT WAS IN LINE WITH THE EDGE OF THE ADHESIVE FILET. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE CRACK ORIGINATED WHERE A SHARP TOOL WAS USED TO TRIM THE EDGE OF THE ADHESIVE FILET. THE BLADE FRACTURED AFTER 922 HRS OF OPERATION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,900 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,900 as pilot in command; 1,250 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 911 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 3, 1989; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,730 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Paramount Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 6N4 New York City NY at 5:02 pm
- Destination: ACY Atlantic City NJ
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from WRI, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N21FL on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Agusta A109 11 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Agusta 12 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B 113 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Atlantic City International · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in New Jersey 1,189 since 1982 · 135 in the last ten years
- New Jersey 3,017 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/NYC90MA009.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.