# Accident 20040721014669A: Amtr EXEC162F, Cameron Park, CA, July 21, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 21, 2004, 15:46 local time
- Place: Cameron Park, CA
- Airport: Cameron Airpark Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.6683° N, 120.9800° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6683&lon=-120.9800&mi=10
- Aircraft: N103RW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N103RW-2004-11-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Finke William ROTORWAY EXEC 162F (registry code 05611YN, https://openairdocs.org/model/finke-william-rotorway-exec-162f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR EXEC162F
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 114 total, 114 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04LA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA274) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040721014669A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT DEPARTED Q61 HEADING SOUTH. STARTED TO TURN SOUTHEAST WHEN A LOUD "BANG" NOISE WAS HEARD AND THEN THE ENGINE BACKFIRED. DEBRIS WAS REPORTED FALLING TO THE GROUND. THE ROTORCRAFT INVERTED AND CRASHED INTO A HOUSE AND WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE PILOT WAS KILLED INSTANTLY. THE LAST 3 FEET OF THE TAIL BOOM INCLUDING THE TAIL ROTOR WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 80 FT SOUTH OF CRASH SITE. A 5-FT SECTION OF TAIL BOOM WAS FOUND 270 FT SE OF CRASH SITE. THIS SECTION HAD A 4 FOOT MARK WHITE PAINT MARK DEPRESSION IN THE SKIN. THIS DEPRESSION MARK WAS AT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE TO THE BOOM (APPROXIMATE AREA OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER). THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE ATTACHED, BUT ONE OF THE BLADES WAS BROKEN AT THE ROTOR HUB. THE RETAINING BOLT FOR THIS BLADE WAS PULLED OUT OF THE ROTOR STRAPS APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH. THE BOLT DID NOT HAVE A SELF-LOCKING NUT HOLDING IT IN PLACE. THE THREADS ON THE BOLT WERE NOT STRIPPED OR SHEARED. IF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE ALLOWED ANY ADDITIONAL AFT TILT, THEY WOULD HAVE STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM IN THE APPROXIMATE AREA OF THE WHITE PAINT MARK.

## 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 LAX04LA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA274), Jul 21, 2004: Finke Rotorway Exec 162F (N103RW), Cameron Park, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The owner-builder's improper main rotor blade (MRB) maintenance/installation by under torquing the blade retaining nut.

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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