20070428009159A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr EXEC90 · Kalamazoo, MI · April 28, 2007

Date: April 28, 2007 · 12:30 local
Place: Kalamazoo, MI
Airport: Newman'S
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N52988
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI07CA124
Reported as: Amtr EXEC90
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 463 total433 in this make and model2 in the last 90 days

N52988Registration cancelled Dec 18, 2008 · Wilkinson Daniel V ROTORWAY EXEC 90S/N 1 · Built 1994 Airframe modelWilkinson Daniel V ROTORWAY EXEC 90 Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot was practicing take-offs, hover, and quick stops above the runway. After take-off, at about 50 ft. and 50 mph, the pilot lowered the collective to initiate a quick stop. At this point the engine RPM revved up out of control. The pilot pulled up on the collective to re-engage the drive system, but the system would not engage. He then went into an autorotation, landed, but lost tail rotor effectiveness and the aircraft began to slide sideways. The aircraft rolled onto its side and the occupants escaped prior to the post crash fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS PRACTICING TAKE-OFFS, HOVER, AND QUICK STOPS ABOVE THE RUNWAY. AFTER TAKE-OFF, AT ABOUT 50 FT. AND 50 MPH, THE PILOT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO INITIATE A QUICK STOP. AT THIS POINT THE ENGINE RPM REVVED UP OUT OF CONTROL. THE PILOT PULLED UP ON THE COLLECTIVE TO RE-ENGAGE THE DRIVE SYSTEM, BUT THE SYSTEM WOULD NOT ENGAGE. HE THEN WENT INTO AN AUTOROTATION, LANDED, BUT LOST TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED ONTO ITS SIDE AND THE OCCUPANTS ESCAPED PRIOR TO THE POST CRASH FIRE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI07CA124Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportKalamazoo, MIThe failure of the sprag clutch which resulted in the disengagement of the drive unit and the pilot's misjudged landing during the autorotation. A factor was the low altitude at which the failure occurred.Apr 28, 2007 · Destroyed