# Accident 19990205001129A: Amtr EXEC162F, Tucson, AZ, February 5, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 5, 1999, 13:43 local time
- Place: Tucson, AZ
- Airport: Ryan Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.1894° N, 110.9807° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1894&lon=-110.9807&mi=10
- Aircraft: N88XS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N88XS-2013-08-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Stern Lessing S ROTORWAY EXEC 162F (registry code 05628CZ, https://openairdocs.org/model/stern-lessing-s-rotorway-exec-162f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR EXEC162F
- Reported engine: AMTRRW ROTWY162
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 800 total, 20 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA089) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990205001129A

## Narrative

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

EXPERIMENTAL ROTORWAY EXECUTIVE HELICOPTER WAS INVOLVED IN HOVER PRACTICE WHEN A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE ACFT TO STRIKE THE GROUND HARD. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN.(.19) ON FEBRUARY 5, 1999, AT 1345 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A STERN ROTORWAY EXEC 162, N88XS, REGISTERED TO WILLIAM M. WILSON, TUCSON, ARIZONA, ENCOUNTERED A WIND GUST AT THE RYAN FIELD, TUCSON, THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN HOVERING IN THE AREA AND WAS NOT HAVING ANY DIFFICULTY HANDLING THE CONTROLS WHEN SUDDENLY HE LOST CONTROL, A SKID IMPACTED THE GROUND, AND THE AMATEUR BUILT EXPERIMENTAL HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE STUDENT PILOT RECEIVED A MINOR INJURY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED FROM THE AIRPORT ABOUT 1230.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   (.4)AFTER FLYING FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR, THE STUDENT PILOT HOVERED 2 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ABOUT 50 YARDS AWAY FROM A WITNESS. THE LOCAL WIND SPEED HAD VARIED BETWEEN CALM AND 5 KNOTS DURING THE FLIGHT. THE WITNESS AND PILOT REPORTED THAT SUDDENLY AN ESTIMATED 25 KNOT (MAXIMUM) WIND GUST DEVELOPED.  THE GUST PUSHED THE HELICOPTER SIDEWAYS, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL, A SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS SIDE.             (-23)STUDENT PILOT WAS PRACTICING HOVERING IN CAML WINDS WHEN 15 KNOTS WIND GUST CAUGHT PILOT OFF GUARD.  TV WX INFO WAS SOURCE OF BRIEF.

## 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 LAX99LA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA089), Feb 5, 1999: Stern Rotorway Exec 162F (N88XS), Tucson, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The sudden development of a wind gust which resulted in the pilot losing control, and the helicopter's dynamic rollover when a skid contacted the ground.

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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