# Accident 20110315003499A: Rotorway In A600 TALON, Chandler, AZ, March 15, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 15, 2011, 14:00 local time
- Place: Chandler, AZ
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.2247° N, 111.9647° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2247&lon=-111.9647&mi=10
- Aircraft: N602RW, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N602RW) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Rotorway International A600 TALON (registry code 05633UC, https://openairdocs.org/model/rotorway-international-a600-talon) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotorway RI-600 (registry code 55011, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotorway-ri-600) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROTORWAY IN A600 TALON
- Reported engine: ROTORWAY RI 600N
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 361 total, 126 in this make and model, 144 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR11LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA167) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110315003499A

## Narrative

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

ON MARCH 15, 2011 AT APPOX. 1300 LOCAL TIME, HELICOPTER N60SRW DEPARTED STELLAR AIRPARK (P19) CHANDLER, AZ. THE FLIGHT WAS A TRANSITION TRAINING FLIGHT. ONBOARD WERE THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVING TRANSITION TRAINING INTO THIS MAKE OF AIRCRAFT. 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE INSTRUCTOR FELT A JOLT OF THE AIRCRAFT FOLLOWED BY A LOUD BANGING. THE ENGINE PARAMETERS WERE ALSO ERRATIC. AT THIS TIME THE INSTRUCTOR ELECTED TO REDUCE POWER AND ENTER AN AUTOROTATION. HE SELECTED A CLEAR AREA AND SET UP FOR THE LANDING. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE HELICOPTER SKIDS SETTLED INTO THE SOFT SANDY TERRAIN UNTIL THE TIPS OF THE SKIDS DUG IN CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO PITCH SLOWLY FORWARD WHERE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND AND SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON IT'S LEFT SIDE WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NEITHER OCCUPANT WAS INJURED.

## 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 WPR11LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA167), Mar 15, 2011: Rotorway A600 (N602RW), Chandler, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: A design modification that changed the fasteners and components used to attach the main rotor drive pulley to the engine, which resulted in fatigue failure of those fasteners and a complete loss of…

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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