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20071113827129A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr EXEC 162-F · Olathe, KS · November 13, 2007

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 13, 2007 · 09:12 local
Place
Olathe, KS
Airport
New Century Aircenter
Phase of flight
Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N46110
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN08LA038
Reported as
Amtr EXEC162F
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
185 total185 in this make and model2 in the last 90 days
N46110Registered now · Rotorway International EXEC 162-FS/N 6850 · Built 2004Airframe modelRotorway International EXEC 162-FEngine 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) During the downwind approach phase of the flight at 500 feet AGL, the pilot felt what he believed to be a medium to high frequency vibration. At that time he felt it necessary to enter into an autorotation for landing. During the flare, at 50 feet AGL, he elected to recover with power and stated there was no power. The aircraft hit the ground hard and bounced one time, continuing to move forward 26 feet and landed on the forward part of the skid breaking the skid, as well as bending both skid support arms. The aircraft then fell backwards, striking the tail rotor and ejecting one tail rotor blade forward where it landed 7 feet forward of the rear tail stinger and 3 feet left of the tail boom. The second tail rotor remained attached to the shaft. The tail boom was damaged and displaced. Post crash investigation of the separated tail rotor revealed a pre-existing spar fracture to the tube, of approximately 80% of the circumference, where it attaches to the tail rotor horizontal shaft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING THE DOWNWIND APPROACH PHASE OF THE FLIGHT AT 500 FEET AGL, THE PILOT FELT WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE A MEDIUM TO HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATION. AT THAT TIME HE FELT IT NECESSARY TO ENTER INTO AN AUTOROTATION FOR LANDING. DURING THE FLARE, AT 50 FEET AGL, HE ELECTED TO RECOVER WITH POWER AND STATED THERE WAS NO POWER. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND HARD AND BOUNCED ONE TIME, CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD 26 FEET AND LANDED ON THE FORWARD PART OF THE SKID BREAKING THE SKID, AS WELL AS BENDING BOTH SKID SUPPORT ARMS. THE AIRCRAFT THEN FELL BACKWARDS, STRIKING THE TAIL ROTOR AND EJECTING ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE FORWARD WHERE IT LANDED 7 FEET FORWARD OF THE REAR TAIL STINGER AND 3 FEET LEFT OF THE TAIL BOOM. THE SECOND TAIL ROTOR REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE SHAFT. THE TAIL BOOM WAS DAMAGED AND DISPLACED. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION OF THE SEPARATED TAIL ROTOR REVEALED A PRE-EXISTING SPAR FRACTURE TO THE TUBE, OF APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE, WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE TAIL ROTOR HORIZONTAL SHAFT.

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 DEN08LA038Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportNew Century, KSWhile on approach the tail rotor spar failed due to metal fatigue .Nov 13, 2007 · Substantial damage