# Accident 20081230853599A: Cotton HELICYCLE, Spring, TX, December 30, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 30, 2008, 12:55 local time
- Place: Spring, TX
- Airport: David Wayne Hooks Memorial
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.0569° N, 95.5517° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0569&lon=-95.5517&mi=10
- Aircraft: N555CX, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N555CX-2018-03-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cotton Galen M HELICYCLE (registry code 05621JM, https://openairdocs.org/model/cotton-galen-m-helicycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: COTTON HELICYCLE
- Reported engine: SOLAR T62
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,700 total, 140 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN09LA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA113) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081230853599A

## Narrative

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

ON 12-30-2008 @ 12:55 HOURS LOCAL, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS IN TRANSITION FROM HOVER TAXI TO FORWARD FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT PRODUCING POWER.  DURING LANDING ATTEMPT, THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.  THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR SKID COLLAPSED UPWARD INTO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE.  IN TURN, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE CAUSING IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND ONE (1) MAIN ROTOR GRIP.  OTHER OBVIOUS DAMAGE WAS TO THE LOWER VERTICAL FIN AND RIGHT SIDE FUSELAGE.  POST EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SUMP, FUEL LINES TO THE FUEL CONTROL AND FUEL SELECTOR VALVE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES.  THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

## 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 CEN09LA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA113), Dec 30, 2008: Cotton Galen M Helicycle (N555CX), Houston, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power during a hover landing which resulted in a hard landing.

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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