# Accident 20121213028349A: Lawson Donald B DB-1, Crossville, TN, December 13, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 13, 2012, 15:19 local time
- Place: Crossville, TN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.0722° N, 85.1139° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0722&lon=-85.1139&mi=10
- Aircraft: N828X, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N828X) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Lawson Donald B DB-1 (registry code 13015HS, https://openairdocs.org/model/lawson-donald-b-db-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotorway RW152 (registry code 55006, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotorway-rw152) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LAWSON DONALD B DB-1
- Reported engine: ROTORWAY RW152
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 117 total, 5 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA13LA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA087) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121213028349A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND PILOT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD AN AUTO GOVERNOR KIT INSTALLED ON THIS AIRCRAFT.  AUTO GOVERNOR WAS A KIT MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ROTORWAY EXEC AND IT WAS INSTALLED BY AN AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT MECHANIC ON MARCH 8, 2010.  OPERATING LIMITATIONS FOR THIS EXPERIMENTAL AMATUER BUILT HELICOPTER REQUIRED, FOR A MAJOR CHANGE, COORDINATION WITH THE FSDO AND FIVE HOURS IN A TEST FLIGHT AREA AND THEN A SIGN OFF IN THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS.  THIS CHANGE WAS NOT COORDINATED WITH THE FSDO NOR WAS THE PILOT OPERATING IN AN AUTHORIZED TEST FLIGHT AREA.  THE PILOT HAD PUT .5 HOURS ON THIS AIRCRAFT ON DECEMBER 6, 2012, OVER  TWO YEARS AFTER THE INSTALL OF THIS AUTO GOVERNOR.  ON THE SECOND FLIGHT WITH THIS AUTO GOVERNOR INSTALATION.  ON THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT AS THE PILOT LIFTED THE AIRCRAFT TO A HOVER, THE AUTOGOVERNOR FAILED AND ENGINE RPM WENT TO THE HIGH SIDE AND THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER.

## 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 ERA13LA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA087), Dec 13, 2012: Rotorway DB-1 (N828X), Mayland, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control following a high-side governor failure for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination.

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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