# Accident 20000216010079A: Kitchens Alan L REVOLUTION MINI 500B, Hazelhurst, MS, February 16, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 16, 2000, 16:00 local time - Place: Hazelhurst, MS - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 31.8607° N, 90.3902° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8607&lon=-90.3902&mi=10 - Aircraft: N460AK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N460AK-2002-08-27) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Kitchens Alan L REVOLUTION MINI 500B (registry code 05607K7, https://openairdocs.org/model/kitchens-alan-l-revolution-mini-500b) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (registry code 09050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX582 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,685 total, 52 in this make and model, 37 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA00LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA092) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000216010079A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) PILOT FAILED TO PERFORM AN AUTOROTATION IN A MINI 500-N460AK CORRECTLY, HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE EARTH. (.4)ON FEBRUARY 16, 2000, ABOUT 1600 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A HOMEBUILT KITCHENS REVOLUTION MINI 500B HELICOPTER, N460AK, OWNED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL IMPACTED WITH THE GROUND DURING AN AUTOROTATION NEAR HAZELHURST, MISSISSIPPI. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT REPORTED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED FROM A PRIVATE HELICOPTER PAD AT 1530. AFTER FLYING LOCALLY FOR AWHILE THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A "QUICK STOP" MANEUVER. HE SAID, AFTER COMPLETION OF THE QUICK STOP HE CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 400 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL). HE STATED THAT HE, "...TURNED WEST...[AND THEN] TURNED TOWARDS HOME...AT THIS POINT I HAD DESCENDED TO ABOUT 200 FEET AGL...FLEW PAST THE POWER LINE RIGHT OF WAY AND WAS APPROACHING A LARGE RYE GRASS FIELD AND DECIDED TO ATTEMPT A PRACTICE AUTO ROTATION DOWN INTO THE FIELD. AS I FLEW OVER THE FIELD I LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND CHECKED MY FORWAR D SPEED AT ABOUT 60 MPH. I THEN REDUCED THE THROTTLE SETTING TO GET THE RPM NEEDLES TO SPLIT. I THINK I WAS ALREADY IN TROUBLE WHEN I BEGAN THE AUTO ROTATION FROM SUCH A LOW ALTITUDE. I AM NOT SURE BUT I ALSO DON'T THINK THAT I HAD THE COLLECTIVE ALL THE WAY DOWN BECAUSE AFTER REDUCING THROTTLE THE ROTOR RPMS APPARENTLY BEGAN TO BLEED DOWN WITHOUT MY NOTICING IT. I WAS CONCENTRATING MY ATTENTION OUTSIDE THE HELICOPTER AT THIS TIME AND NOT PAYING ENOUGH ATTENTION TO THE GAUGES. AT THIS POINT THINGS ARE A LITTLE FUZZY AS FAR AS MY MEMORY IS CONCERNED BECAUSE THINGS STARTED HAPPENING PRETTY FAST. AT ABOUT 50 FEET AGL I FLARED...THEN LEVELED AND STARTED PULLING COLLECTIVE. THE HELICOPTER STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING...WHICH I NOW KNOW INDICATES THAT THE ROTORS WERE TRYING TO STALL FROM TOO LOW RPMS. I KNEW AT THIS POINT THAT I COULDN'T STOP MY DECENT...I DON'T THINK I POWERED BACK UP WITH THE THROTTLE...I HIT THE GROUND FAIRLY VIOLENTLY...LEFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED...THE HELICOPTER...ROLL[ED] ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE...AND THE HELICOPTER FINALLY CAME TO A STOP ABOUT 30 YARDS FROM THE POINT OF INITIAL IMPACT." THE FAA INSPECTED THE WRECKAGE AND DID NOT FIND ANY MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES. ACCORDING THE FAA'S REPORT, "...PILOT WAS PERFORMING PRACTICE AUTO ROTATION. HE FAILED TO PERFORM THE AUTOROTATION CORRECTLY AND IMPACTED THE EARTH." ## 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 MIA00LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA092), Feb 16, 2000: Kitchens Revolution Mini 500B (N460AK), Hazelhurst, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during a practice autorotation, by allowing the rotor rpm to become inadequate to cushion the touchdown, which resulted in a hard landing,… 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.