20170916019469A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Gaddis Michael EXEC 162-F · Plymouth, IN · September 16, 2017

Date: September 16, 2017 · 17:16 local
Place: Plymouth, IN
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N123XZ
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN17LA365
Reported as: Gaddis Michael Exec 162-F
Reported engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 392 total250 in this make and model42 in the last 90 days

N123XZRegistration cancelled Sep 25, 2018 · Gaddis Michael EXEC 162-FS/N 6377 · Built 1998 Airframe modelGaddis Michael EXEC 162-F Engine 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.

PIC and passenger departed C65 and approximately 1645 EST. While airborne approximately 15 minutes, PIC and passenger heard strange noise. PIC attempted to return to C65 when he noticed his engine rpm's redline and his rotor head speed decrease. The PIC attempted to auto-rotate to a parking lot nearby. The aircraft came to rest in a cornfield. No injury to PIC, passenger or persons on the ground. No post-crash fire. Aircraft sustained damage to tail boom, skids, and rotor blade.

As the FAA filed it

PIC AND PASSENGER DEPARTED C65 AND APPROXIMATELY 1645 EST. WHILE AIRBORNE APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES, PIC AND PASSENGER HEARD STRANGE NOISE. PIC ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO C65 WHEN HE NOTICED HIS ENGINE RPM'S REDLINE AND HIS ROTOR HEAD SPEED DECREASE. THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO AUTO-ROTATE TO A PARKING LOT NEARBY. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A CORNFIELD. NO INJURY TO PIC, PASSENGER OR PERSONS ON THE GROUND. NO POST-CRASH FIRE. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO TAIL BOOM, SKIDS, AND ROTOR BLADE.

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 CEN17LA365Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPlymouth, INA failure of the drive belt for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.Sep 16, 2017 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N123XZ · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20150226002949ACruise/Level Flight · Plymouth, INPilot stated that after taking off from his parents house by cook lake on a northeast heading to return to C65 at approximately 3 miles south of the airport the engine started to rev and run rough. The pilot performed a autorotation into a base ball field and…Feb 26, 2015 · Substantial damage