# Accident 20020905027959A: Amtr ROTORWAYEXEC, Las Cruces, NM, September 5, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 5, 2002, 08:30 local time
- Place: Las Cruces, NM
- Airport: Las Cruces International Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.2894° N, 106.9220° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LAS CRUCES INTL (LRU), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2894&lon=-106.9220&mi=10
- Aircraft: N761JB (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AMTR ROTORWAYEXEC
- Pilot certificates: Student
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020905027959A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2002, APPROXIMATELY 0830 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A GRAY ROTORWAY EXEC 90 SINGLE-ENGINE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A HARD LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT THE LAS CRUCES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (LRU), LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO. THE STUDENT PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT AND REGISTERED OWNER OF THE HELICOPTER, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO AN FAA INSPECTOR, WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE STUDENT PILOT CHECKED THE FUEL TANKS PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT AND DETERMINED THE TANKS CONTAINED ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE SHORT TRIP. DURING THE DOWNWIND PHASE OF FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE STUDENT PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED A HARD LANDING. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE BENT, THE TAIL ROTOR WAS DESTROYED, AND THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEPARATED. IN ADDITION, THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE STUDENT PILOT DID NOT HAVE AN ENDORSEMENT FOR SOLO FLIGHT IN THE HELICOPTER AND DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE.            (-23) MR. GRAY TOOK OFF WITH MIN. FUEL ON BOARD THE HELICOPTER AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ENGINE QUIT. MR. GRAY INITIATED A DOWNWIND AUTO-ROTATION AND IN THE PROCESS OVER ROTATED AND STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR. THE TAIL BOOM BENT UPWARD, STRIKING THE MAIN ROTOR AND CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE, DESTROYING TAIL ROTOR AND BOOM. NO PROBABLE CAUSE FOR THE ENGINE FAILURE HAS BEEN DETERMINED. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS UNINJURED.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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