# Accident 19990828025369A: Amtr ROTORWAYEXEC, Tampa, FL, August 28, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 28, 1999, 11:40 local time - Place: Tampa, FL - Airport: Topp Of Tampa Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 28.1301° N, 82.4606° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.1301&lon=-82.4606&mi=10 - Aircraft: N314SP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N314SP-2018-01-17) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Powers Scott ROTORWAY EXEC (registry code 05606MA, https://openairdocs.org/model/powers-scott-rotorway-exec) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR ROTORWAYEXEC - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 230 total, 35 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA243) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990828025369A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON AUGUST 28, 1999, ABOUT 1140 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A POWERS ROTORWAY EXEC 162 EXPERIMENTAL HELICOPTER, N314SP, REGISTERED TO AN INDIVIDUAL, IMPACTED WITH THE GROUND DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR TAMPA, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED FROM THE TAMPA NORTH AIRPORT AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. ACCORDING TO THE PASCO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHEN THEIR DEPUTY ARRIVED AT THE CRASH SITE THERE WAS NO ONE AT THE HELICOPTER. THE DEPUTY NOTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A FIELD ABOUT 600 FEET FROM A DEAD END ROAD. THE HELICOPTER WAS SITTING UPRIGHT, THE TAIL SECTION AND TAIL ROTOR HAD "SHEERED OFF," THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE BENT AND BROKEN. THE DEPUTY REPORTED, "...A CITIZEN PASSERBY STOPPED AND SAID, 'HE DID IT AGAIN.' I ASKED THE CITIZEN IF HE KNEW WHOSE HELICOPTER IT WAS AND THE CITIZEN POINTED TO A HOUSE...." THE DEPUTY WENT TO THE HOUSE AND SPOKE TO THE PILOT. THE PILOT TOLD HIM, "...HE HAD BEEN FLYING THE AIRCRAFT WHEN IT CRASHED...HE WAS JUST FLYING AROUND THE AIRPORT WHERE HE KEEPS THE HELICOPTER...HE WAS UP IN THE AIR ABOUT 200 FEET, WHEN HE LOST POWER AND THEN AUTO GYRATED BACK DOWN INTO THE FIELD...HE HIT THE GROUND HARD WHICH CAUSED THE BLADES TO BEND DOWN AND SHEER OFF THE TAIL SECTION. HE DOES NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHY HE LOST POWER...." ACCORDING TO THE FAA, ANOTHER WITNESS SAW THE HELICOPTER AFTER IT WAS DAMAGED, AND SAW THE PILOT REMOVE THE HELICOPTER ON A TRAILER. THE PILOT NEVER NOTIFIED ANYONE OF THE ACCIDENT AND REMOVED THE HELICOPTER WITHOUT PERMISSION. THE FAA WAS NOTIFIED BY THE SHERIFF. AN FAA INSPECTOR WENT TO THE PILOT/OWNER'S HOUSE AND OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER IN HIS BACKYARD. THE FAA INSPECTOR SAID, "...[THE PILOT] WOULD NOT ANSWER THE DOOR. I OBSERVED A PERSON WORKING ON THE AIRCRAFT WHEN I ARRIVED...A CAR WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY. I TOOK A COUPLE PHOTOS OVER THE FENCE...I SAW A PINK HELICOPTER WITH TAIL DAMAGE. THE ROTOR HAD BEEN REMOVED." THE PILOT WAS NOT HELICOPTER RATED, AND WAS NOT QUALIFIED TO FLY THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER. (-23)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE HE NOTICED THE BATTERY WAS DISCHARGING AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT. AT APPROXIMATE LY ONE HUNDRED FEET HE STATED THA AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND HE EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION TO THE GROUND. THE TAIL BOOM, MAIN ROTOR BLADES ANSD KIDS RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE LANDING. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THA AIRCRAFT HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL AND OIL, AND THAT THE FLIGHT CONTROLS ANS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WERE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. AN ENGINE START AND RUNUP WAS CONDUCTED AND THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMED SATISFACTORILY. (.4)A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY, THAT LIVED NEAR THE CRASH SITE, SAW THE HELICOPTER IN A FIELD, NOTED THAT A CRASH HAD OCCURRED, AND THAT THERE WAS NO ONE AT THE HELICOPTER. THE DEPUTY NOTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS SITTING UPRIGHT, THE TAIL SECTION AND TAIL ROTOR HAD 'SHEERED OFF,' THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE BENT AND BROKEN. THE DEPUTY REPORTED, '...A CITIZEN PASSERBY STOPPED AND SAID, 'HE DID IT AGAIN.' I ASKED THE CITIZEN IF HE KNEW WHOSE HELICOPTER IT WAS AND THE CITIZEN POINTED TO A HOUSE....' THE PILOT TOLD THE DEPUTY, '...HE HAD BEEN FLYING THE AIRCRAFT WHEN IT CRASHED...HE WAS UP IN THE AIR ABOUT 200 FEET, WHEN HE LOST POWER AND THEN AUTO GYRATED BACK DOWN INTO THE FIELD...HE HIT THE GROUND HARD WHICH CAUSED THE BLADES TO BEND DOWN AND S HEER OFF THE TAIL SECTION. APRIL 14, 2000, THE PILOT SUBMITTED THE NTSB FORM 6120.1/2 AND STATED, '...LOST ELECTONIC IGNITION...ALTERNATOR NOT WORKING AND BATTERY WITHOUT DISCHARGED.' THE PILOT REMOVED THE HELICOPTER FROMT HE CRASH SITE WITHOUT PERMISSION, AND NEVER NOTIFIED ANYONE OF THE ACCIDENT. AN FAA INSPECTOR WENT TO THE PILOT/OWNER'S HOUSE, OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER IN HIS BACKYARD, AND SAID,...[THE PILOT] WOULD NOT ANSWER THE DOOR.' HE SAW A PINK HELICOPTER WITH TAIL DAMAGE, AND THE ROTOR HAD BEEN REMOVED. THE PILOT WAS NOT HELICOPTER RATED, AND WAS NOT QUALIFIED OR CERTIFIED TO FLY THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER. ## 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 MIA99LA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA243), Aug 28, 1999: Powers Rotorway Exec 162 (N314SP), Lutz, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: a loss of power due to undetermined reasons, resulting in a forced landing and subsequent impact with the ground. A factor in this accident was the pilot was not qualified or certified in helicopters. 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.