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20150729015659A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Matthew Santonastaso MOSQUITO · Winchendon, MA · July 29, 2015

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 29, 2015 · 14:38 local
Place
Winchendon, MA
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N285XE
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA15LA291
Reported as
Matthew Santonastaso Mosquito
Reported engine
Inovator Technologies INNTEC-800
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
N285XERegistered now · Matthew Santonastaso MOSQUITOS/N MXE1249A14B · Built 2015Airframe modelMatthew Santonastaso MOSQUITOEngine 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.

On July 29, 2015, at approximately 10:30 local, the pilot performed a preflight of the aircraft and departed from jaffrey airport (afn). He flew for approximately 45 minutes practicing auto rotations. He did not notice any abnormalities in regards to the operation of the aircraft or engine indicator readings. After he landed back at jaffrey airport, he refueled the aircraft with 93 octane gasoline which he purchased from a nearby gas station. The practicing of rotations is a routine practice for him prior to flying further from the airport. After fueling, he departed again and headed south of the airport. At 2500 feet MSL he felt the tail kick due to the loss of torque. He noticed the engine RPM was only at approximately 30%, and the engne power would not increase. This forced him to auto rotate. He performed a maximum glide auto rotate to an empty field, and had a hard landing. The hard landing caused one of the main rotor blades to strike the tail of the aircraft severing the tail rotor and part of the tail boom.

As the FAA filed it

ON JULY 29, 2015, AT APPROXIMATELY 10:30 LOCAL, THE PILOT PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND DEPARTED FROM JAFFREY AIRPORT (AFN). HE FLEW FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES PRACTICING AUTO ROTATIONS. HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY ABNORMALITIES IN REGARDS TO THE OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE INDICATOR READINGS. AFTER HE LANDED BACK AT JAFFREY AIRPORT, HE REFUELED THE AIRCRAFT WITH 93 OCTANE GASOLINE WHICH HE PURCHASED FROM A NEARBY GAS STATION. THE PRACTICING OF ROTATIONS IS A ROUTINE PRACTICE FOR HIM PRIOR TO FLYING FURTHER FROM THE AIRPORT. AFTER FUELING, HE DEPARTED AGAIN AND HEADED SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. AT 2500 FEET MSL HE FELT THE TAIL KICK DUE TO THE LOSS OF TORQUE. HE NOTICED THE ENGINE RPM WAS ONLY AT APPROXIMATELY 30%, AND THE ENGNE POWER WOULD NOT INCREASE. THIS FORCED HIM TO AUTO ROTATE. HE PERFORMED A MAXIMUM GLIDE AUTO ROTATE TO AN EMPTY FIELD, AND HAD A HARD LANDING. THE HARD LANDING CAUSED ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO STRIKE THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT SEVERING THE TAIL ROTOR AND PART OF THE TAIL BOOM.

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 ERA15LA291Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWinchendon, MAA partial loss of engine power due to a faulty electrical wiring crimp in the engine’s ignition system.Jul 29, 2015 · Substantial damage