What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On January 4, 2000, about 1400 hours mountain standard time, an amateur built experimental rotorway exec 9 helicopter, N89678, sustained substantial damage when the main rotor blades contacted the tail boom during an autorotation at memorial airport near Chandler, Arizona. Rotorway international operated the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The certified flight instructor and private pilot student were not injured. The instructional flight departed Stellar air park near Chandler, Arizona, about 1320. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The safety board was notified of the accident on January 12, 2000. The operator stated the flight was a familiarization for the private pilot, who was transitioning into this model of helicopter. An approach was being made to runway 03 when all engine power was lost at 100 feet. An autorotation was made to soft sand, but the main rotor blades contacted the tail boom, and the tail rotor blades contacted the ground. The operator reported that a subsequent inspection determined that the secondary driveshaft fractured. (-23) upon pilot making a normal approach @memorial field, Chandler, AZ. A loud noise was observed just aft of the cockpit. Pilot entered autorotation from approx. 100 ft (AGL) touchdown/ fence caused blades to contact runway the heli came to rest right side up, but the m/r blades did contact the tail boom/just aft of the hori. Stab. No injuries, no fire.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JANUARY 4, 2000, ABOUT 1400 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, AN AMATEUR BUILT EXPERIMENTAL ROTORWAY EXEC 9 HELICOPTER, N89678, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM DURING AN AUTOROTATION AT MEMORIAL AIRPORT NEAR CHANDLER, ARIZONA. ROTORWAY INTERNATIONAL OPERATED THE HELICOPTER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND PRIVATE PILOT STUDENT WERE NOT INJURED. THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT DEPARTED STELLAR AIR PARK NEAR CHANDLER, ARIZONA, ABOUT 1320. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE SAFETY BOARD WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ACCIDENT ON JANUARY 12, 2000. THE OPERATOR STATED THE FLIGHT WAS A FAMILIARIZATION FOR THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS TRANSITIONING INTO THIS MODEL OF HELICOPTER. AN APPROACH WAS BEING MADE TO RUNWAY 03 WHEN ALL ENGINE POWER WAS LOST AT 100 FEET. AN AUTOROTATION WAS MADE TO SOFT SAND, BUT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM, AND THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT A SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION DETERMINED THAT THE SECONDARY DRIVESHAFT FRACTURED. (-23) UPON PILOT MAKING A NORMAL APPROACH @MEMORIAL FIELD, CHANDLER, AZ. A LOUD NOISE WAS OBSERVED JUST AFT OF THE COCKPIT. PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION FROM APPROX. 100 FT (AGL) TOUCHDOWN/ FENCE CAUSED BLADES TO CONTACT RUNWAY THE HELI CAME TO REST RIGHT SIDE UP, BUT THE M/R BLADES DID CONTACT THE TAIL BOOM/JUST AFT OF THE HORI. STAB. NO INJURIES, NO FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N89678 · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.