# Accident 20010101027539A: Amtr EXEC, Placerville, CA, January 1, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 1, 2001, 15:29 local time
- Place: Placerville, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.7292° N, 120.8001° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7292&lon=-120.8001&mi=10
- Aircraft: N94LW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N94LW-2018-01-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Wallace Daniel A EXEC (registry code 05625ND, https://openairdocs.org/model/wallace-daniel-a-exec) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotorway RW152 (registry code 55006, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotorway-rw152) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR EXEC
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 11 total, 11 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010101027539A

## Narrative

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

(.4) ON JANUARY 1, 2001, AT 1529 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A WALLACE ROTORWAY EXEC 152 AMATEUR-BUILT HELICOPTER, N94LW, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT ROLLED OVER FROM A HOVER AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAUGHT FIRE AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR PLACERVILLE, CALIFORNIA. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE STUDENT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, WHICH WAS DEPARTING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED TO A DEPUTY SHERIFF, WHO RESPONDED TO THE SCENE, THAT HE HAD JUST FINISHED BUILDING THE HELICOPTER AND THIS WAS ITS "MAIDEN VOYAGE." HE HAD BEEN RECEIVING INSTRUCTION TOWARDS HIS PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE AND WAS ENDORSED FOR HOVER ONLY SOLO. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS HOVERING IN A DIRT FIELD AND AS HE STARTED TO BACK THE HELICOPTER THE TAIL ROTOR GUARD STRUCK THE GROUND, THE MAIN ROTOR FLAPPED DOWN STRIKING THE TAIL BOOM, AND THE LEFT SKID HIT THE GROUND AND COLLAPSED. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED OVER. AFTER EXITING THE HELICOPTER THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ROLL THE HELICOPTER UPRIGHT BUT FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL CAP IGNITED WHEN WHEN IT CONTACTED THE ENGINE EXHAUST. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED IN THE SUBSEQUENT FIRE.

## 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 LAX01LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA068), Jan 1, 2001: Wallace Rotorway Exec 152 (N94LW), Placerville, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: The failure of the student pilot to maintain adequate ground clearance while hovering.

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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