Neil Aspinall, a longtime friend and business associate of the Beatles, died in New York City of lung cancer Sunday night at 66, the surviving band members said yesterday.

Aspinall became road manager and personal assistant for the Fab Four after going to school in Liverpool with Paul McCartney and George Harrison. He was a longtime friend, confidant and overseer of the Beatles' business empire, Apple Corps Ltd., for 40 years.

"All his friends and loved ones will greatly miss him, but will always retain the fondest memories of a great man," McCartney, Ringo Starr and the widows of John Lennon and Harrison said in a statement released by Aspinall's family.

Aspinall was one of several men referred to as the "fifth Beatle" -- a title also granted to others closely associated with the group, such as the band's manager Brian Epstein and the original bassist, Stuart Sutcliffe.

Harrison, who died in 2001, called Aspinall one of only two possible "fifth Beatles" at the group's 1988 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Aspinall had lived in Twickenham, England, and died at the Sloan-Kettering hospital in New York City.

Aspinall fell ill to lung cancer two months ago and McCartney was reported by British media to have flown to New York to visit him on his deathbed.

He is survived by his wife Suzy and five children.

As road manager, Aspinall drove the band members to shows in their old Commer van.

He sang back up vocals as part of the chorus on the 1966 hit "Yellow Submarine" and met his wife Suzy Ornstein during the making of the the Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night."

In his role as head of Apple Corps, he was credited with being the architect of the continuing popularity of Beatles merchandise and album sales. He was executive producer on the 1995-96 Beatles Anthology project.