Agusta A109C accident near Jackson Twp, Pennsylvania, January 18, 1995
On January 18, 1995 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Agusta A109C (helicopter), registered N1WD, was destroyed in an accident near Jackson Twp, Pennsylvania (Myerstown/Decks airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 1995 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson Twp, Pennsylvania · Myerstown/Decks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Agusta A109C · all A109Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1WD · registry record · serial 7601
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN IFR FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER PILOT WAS PROCEEDING TOWARD THE DESTINATION WITH USE OF HIS LORAN. HE WAS CLEARED FOR A VOR/DME ALPHA APPROACH TO AN AIRPORT 3 MILES WEST OF THE DESTINATION HELIPAD. (PRESUMABLY, HE PLANNED TO PROCEED VFR FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE HELIPAD.) THE APPROACH CONTROLLER OBSERVED (ON RADAR) WHAT APPEARED TO BE A NORMAL APPROACH UNTIL CONTACT WAS LOST AT 700 FEET MSL. A WITNESS MID-WAY BETWEEN THE AIRPORT AND THE HELIPAD OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER WEST BOUND AT ABOUT 150 FEET. A WITNESS NEAR THE AIRPORT REPORTED THE HELICOPTER CIRCLED HIS HOUSE; HE THEN LOST SIGHT OF THE HELICOPTER WHEN IT FLEW NORTHWEST AT 200 FEET INTO THE CLOUDS. ANOTHER WITNESS ABOUT A MILE NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT HEARD THE HELICOPTER FLY OVERHEAD IN THE CLOUDS. BOTH WITNESSES REPORTED THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED OUT OF THE CLOUDS IN A STEEP DESCENT AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT BOTH ENGINES WERE OPERATING; NO PREIMPACT AIRFRAME FAILURE WAS NOTED. THE WEATHER AT NEARBY AIRPORTS WAS REPORTED AS 600 FEET OBSCURED WITH DRIZZLE AND FOG. WITNESSES ESTIMATED THE CEILING AT THE ACCIDENT SITE TO BE 200 TO 400 FEET.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 16, 1994; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,997 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250-C20R/1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: IPT Williamsport PA at 10:27 pm
- Destination: PS96 Richland PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from MDT, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.