# Accident 20040720022899A: Amtr ROTORWAYEXEC, Conroe, TX, July 20, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 20, 2004, 18:36 local time
- Place: Conroe, TX
- Airport: Montgomery  County Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.3517° N, 95.4144° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3517&lon=-95.4144&mi=10
- Aircraft: N342RD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N342RD-2013-09-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Smith Harold F ROTORWAY EXEC (registry code 13017LL, https://openairdocs.org/model/smith-harold-f-rotorway-exec) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR ROTORWAYEXEC
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 400 total, 6 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW04CA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04CA192) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040720022899A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON 20 JULY 2004 AT APPX 1836 LOCAL TIME AT THE LONE STAR EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (CXO) CONROE, TX 7730. AN EXPERIMENTAL HOME BUILT ROTORWAY EXECUTIVE HELICOPTER REGISTERED AS N342RD; S/N 4162 EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPX 20 FEET AGL AND AN AIRSPEED OF 20 MPH THE ENGINE STOPPED AND HE ATTEMPTED AN AUTO ROTATION TO THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR CUTS TO THE HEAD AND FACE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED TO A HANGAR FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. INSPECTORS OF THIS OFFICE INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND FOUND THAT THE FUEL PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS POPPED AND THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS SET UP SO THAT IT HAD TO HAVE THE PUMP PRESSURE TO OPERATE. ALL OTHER AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS CHECKED OUT WITH NORMAL OPERATION AND INDICATIONS. THE CIRCUIT BREAKER AND PUMP HAD NO REDUNDANCY AND THE LOCKING WAS VERY WEAK. THE INSTALLED CIRCUIT BREAKER DID NOT APPEAR OF A VERY HIGH QUALITY AND IT WAS VERIFIED BY THE PILOT THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR SYSTEM WOULD NOT FUNCTION WITHOUT THE POSITIVE PRESSURE TO THE INJECTOR. DUE TO THE DAMAGE AND PILOT QUALIFICATIONS, THE HOU-FSDO OPERATIONS UNIT WILL FOLLOW UP WITH PILOT ACTIONS.

## 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 FTW04CA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04CA192), Jul 20, 2004: Rotorway Exec (N342RD), Conroe, TX, destroyed. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to the tripped fuel pump circuit breaker which resulted in the failure of the electric fuel pump.

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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