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20081104850419A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Sundtd ROTORWAY162F · West Chester, PA · November 4, 2008

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 4, 2008 · 07:55 local
Place
West Chester, PA
Airport
Brandywine
Phase of flight
Hovering
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8286D
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA09CA042
Reported as
Sundtd ROTORWAY162F
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,001 total24 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days
N8286DRegistered now · Sundt Daniel N ROTORWAY EXEC 162-FS/N 6742 · Built 2006Airframe modelSundt Daniel N ROTORWAY EXEC 162-FEngine modelRotorway RI-162F4 cycle

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) The builder/pilot of the amateur-built helicopter was practicing hover/taxi maneuvers at Brandywine Airport (koqn) on 11/04/2008. He is a certificated pilot (airplane single-engine land, instrument) with a current instructor endorsement for solo flight in a rotorway exec 162F. The aircraft was certificated on 09/11/2008 and had 3.9 hours indicated on the hobbs meter. The pilot statement says he was attempting "a left pedal 180 degrees turn. Apparently a skid must have contracted the pavement (although I have no recollection thereof). The helicopter rolled onto its right side." There appear to be no witnesses to the event. The pilot/builder described the aircraft as handling very well with no out-of-trim conditions prior to the event. There appear to be no weather or aircraft-induced contributing factors to this event. Although the pilot had received over 20 hours of instruction in the make/model aircraft, the accident appears to be a result of his transition from fixed-wing flight to rotorcraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE BUILDER/PILOT OF THE AMATEUR-BUILT HELICOPTER WAS PRACTICING HOVER/TAXI MANEUVERS AT BRANDYWINE AIRPORT (KOQN) ON 11/04/2008. HE IS A CERTIFICATED PILOT (AIRPLANE SINGLE-ENGINE LAND, INSTRUMENT) WITH A CURRENT INSTRUCTOR ENDORSEMENT FOR SOLO FLIGHT IN A ROTORWAY EXEC 162F. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CERTIFICATED ON 09/11/2008 AND HAD 3.9 HOURS INDICATED ON THE HOBBS METER. THE PILOT STATEMENT SAYS HE WAS ATTEMPTING "A LEFT PEDAL 180 DEGREES TURN. APPARENTLY A SKID MUST HAVE CONTRACTED THE PAVEMENT (ALTHOUGH I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION THEREOF). THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE." THERE APPEAR TO BE NO WITNESSES TO THE EVENT. THE PILOT/BUILDER DESCRIBED THE AIRCRAFT AS HANDLING VERY WELL WITH NO OUT-OF-TRIM CONDITIONS PRIOR TO THE EVENT. THERE APPEAR TO BE NO WEATHER OR AIRCRAFT-INDUCED CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS EVENT. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED OVER 20 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION IN THE MAKE/MODEL AIRCRAFT, THE ACCIDENT APPEARS TO BE A RESULT OF HIS TRANSITION FROM FIXED-WING FLIGHT TO ROTORCRAFT.

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 ERA09CA042Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportWest Chester, PAThe pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance above terrain while performing a pedal turn.Nov 4, 2008 · Substantial damage