# Accident 19990314028399A: Amtr ROTORWAYEXEC, Mechanicsburg, PA, March 14, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 14, 1999, 10:38 local time
- Place: Mechanicsburg, PA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.2107° N, 77.0007° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2107&lon=-77.0007&mi=10
- Aircraft: N124CF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N124CF) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Two Way Traffic EXEC 162F (registry code 05603SC, https://openairdocs.org/model/two-way-traffic-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 ROTORWAYEXEC
- Reported engine: AMTRRW ROTWY162
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 79 total, 10 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC99LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA072) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990314028399A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE STUDENT PILOT WAS PRACTICING HIS FIRST SOLO LIFT OFF TO HOVER IN A ROTORWAY EXECUTIVE 162F, AN EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT HELICOPTER. THE STUDENT HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AS A PRIVATE PILOT, SINGLE ENGINE LAND, AND HAD RECEIVED 10.5 HOURS OF FLIGHT TRAINING AT THE ROTORWAY FACTORY RECENTLY, ALONG WITH AN ENDORSEMENT FOR SOLO FLIGHT.  AFTER LIFT OFF TO HOVER, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE MAY NOT HAVE USED ENOUGH THROTTLE FOR THE COLLECTIVE SETTING.  THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SETTLE CONTACTING THE LEFT REAR SKID.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN ROLLED OVER ON IT'S LEFT SIDE. (.4) THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT IN A HELICOPTER.  HE BROUGHT THE HELICOPTER TO ABOUT A 6 INCH HOVER AND THEN DRIFTED LEFT AND SETTLED.  THE LEFT REAR SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE.  THE PILOT HELD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE FOR SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANES BUT HAD NOT FLOWN IN SEVERAL YEARS.  HE HAD RECEIVED 9.9 HOURS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION IN THE SAME MODEL OF HELICOPTER, AND WAS SIGNED OFF FOR SOLO FLIGHT, BUT HAD NOT FLOWN IN THE 44 DAYS THAT PRECEDED ACCIDENT FLIGHT.

## 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 NYC99LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA072), Mar 14, 1999: Miner Rotorway Exec 162F (N124CF), Mechanicsburg, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent induced dynamic rollover. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of helicopter experience.

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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