# Accident 20170430003409A: Rotoway KIT ROTOWAY, Wheatland, WY, April 30, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 30, 2017, 17:15 local time
- Place: Wheatland, WY
- Airport: Phifer Airfield
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.0775° N, 105.0578° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0775&lon=-105.0578&mi=10
- Aircraft: N164JB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N164JB-2022-04-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bender Joseph KIT ROTOWAY (registry code 05617T0, https://openairdocs.org/model/bender-joseph-kit-rotoway) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROTOWAY KIT ROTOWAY
- Reported engine: ROTOWAY ROTOWAY
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 23 total, 23 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA17CA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA251) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170430003409A

## Narrative

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

ON 4/30/2017 AT 1715 MDT, A XXXXXXXX, N164JB, IMPACTED THE GROUND NEAR PHIFER AIRFIELD (EAN).  THERE WAS XXX POB ONBOARD WITH NO INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT WAS TAKING OFF AND NOTICED THAT HE DIDN?T HAVE AS MUCH TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS AS HE WOULD HAVE LIKED, BUT THOUGHT IT WOULD BE OK.  AS HE WAS CLIMBING OUT HE REALIZED HE DIDN?T HAVE ANY CONTROL AT ALL IN THE RIGHT PEDAL, SO HE DECIDED TO SET IT RIGHT BACK DOWN IN THE NEXT FIELD FROM WHERE HE STARTED FROM,  (MAYBE 150 YARDS AWAY FROM THE STARTING POINT). HE PICKED A SPOT TO LAND ON AND AS HE APPROACHED HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO LOSE ANY DIRECTIONAL CONTROL THE WINGLETS AFFORDED HIM, SO AS IT WAS STARTING TO TURN TO THE LEFT AT ABOUT THE 3-5? OFF THE GROUND HE JUST SAT IT DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS ALREADY TURNED 90 DEGREE LEFT OF DIRECTION OF FLIGHT.  AS IT TURNED OUT THE RIGHT SKID LANDED ON A MUFFLER THAT WAS BURIED IN THE GRASS AND BENT THE SKID UP ABOUT 1.5? AND THEN SLID OFF AND ON CONTACT WITH THE GROUND THE RIGHT GEAR OR SKID FOLDED UP AND IT ROLLED OVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE. DAMAGING THE BLADES, AS WELL AS THE TAIL.

## 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 GAA17CA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA251), Apr 30, 2017: Bender Joseph KIT Rotoway (N164JB), Wheatland, WY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to operate the helicopter in gusting wind and high-density altitude conditions and his positioning of the helicopter such that it resulted in a right quartering tailwind, which…

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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