Hughes 269A accident near Linden, New Jersey, April 19, 1996
On April 19, 1996 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N8084E, was destroyed in an accident near Linden, New Jersey (Linden airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper flare by the pilot, and his failure to take proper corrective action after the helicopter touched down hard and entered ground resonance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1996 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Linden, New Jersey · Linden
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N8084E · no longer on the register · serial 1181025
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while landing at an airport for fuel, the front of the landing skids touched down, followed by the rear area of the skids. The helicopter encountered ground resonance after touchdown. Also, the pilot stated that he attempted to liftoff; however, the helicopter remained on the ground. The passenger stated that the touch down was harder than they had experienced the previous day. According to witnesses, the helicopter remained on the ground, and continued to bounce up and down until the tail rotor struck the ground. Examination of the helicopter revealed no preimpact failure of the airframe or rotor system.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command; 45 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,060 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 17, 1995; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 3:00 pm
- Destination: MMU Morristown NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 22,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from EWR, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.