# Accident 19981026030419A: Amtr MINI500, Hickory, NC, October 26, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 26, 1998
- Place: Hickory, NC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.7706° N, 81.3295° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7706&lon=-81.3295&mi=10
- Aircraft: N500GQ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N500GQ-2000-08-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Grauer Reinhold REVOLUTION MINI 500 (registry code 056043L, https://openairdocs.org/model/grauer-reinhold-revolution-mini-500) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR MINI500
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA017) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981026030419A

## Narrative

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

HELICOPTER ENGINE FAILED, THE ACFT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD, AND THE TAIL BOOM SUSTAINED DAMAGE. (-23) GRAUER STATED, HE WAS FLYING OVER RHODHISS DAM WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT STARTED TO LOSE POWER. HE SAW A LARGE LANDING AREA, NORTH OF THE CATAWBA RIVER. MR. GRAUER LANDED, HIS REVOLUTION MINI-500 ROTORCRAFT IN A LARGE FIELD OFF DUKE POWER RD., NORTH OF RHODHISS HYDRO POWER PLANT. THE TAIL BOON STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING THE ROTOR BLADES TO DEFLECT FORWARD BREAKING THE HELICOPTER IN HALF. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.

## 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 MIA99LA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA017), Oct 26, 1998: Reinhold Revolution Mini 500 (N500GQ), Hickory, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The seizure of the rear piston in the cylinder barrel resulting in total loss of engine power and an autorotation which resulted in main rotor contact with the tail boom while touching down on…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
