# Accident 19970718047599A: Amtr ROTORWAYEXEC, Lakeport, CA, July 18, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 18, 1997, 09:30 local time
- Place: Lakeport, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.0396° N, 122.9300° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0396&lon=-122.9300&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6323F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6323F-1997-09-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Fronsman Nathan F ROTORWAY EXEC (registry code 13017KB, https://openairdocs.org/model/fronsman-nathan-f-rotorway-exec) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR ROTORWAYEXEC
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97LA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA257) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970718047599A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-16) NATHAN FRONSMAN, BUILDER AND PILOT OF THIS EXPERIMENTAL ROTORWAY EXEC HELICOPTER, REPORTED THAT DURING HOVER PRACTICE OVER THE TAXIWAY, HE NOTICED HIS LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT WAS ON. HE RETURNED TO THE RAMP AND NOTICED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE WAS READING CLOSE TO ZERO. HE LANDED THE HELICOPTER AND UPON EXITING, NOTICED FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HE EMPTIED 3 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS IN AN EFFORT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE HELICOPTER HOWEVER, WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY FIRE. MR. FRONSMAN STATED THAT HE HAD INSTALLED THE WARNING LIGHT SYSTEM AND CHANGED THE OIL SUMP GASKET A FEW HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX97LA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA257), Jul 18, 1997: Fronsman Rotorway Exec (N6323F), Lakeport, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: an undetermined failure of the oil system (lines or filter), while hovering, which resulted in an engine compartment fire that erupted and subsequently destroyed the helicopter after it was landed.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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