# Incident 20220513021979I: Richard Murphy A600, Hanson, MA, May 13, 2022

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 13, 2022, 07:45 local time
- Place: Hanson, MA
- Airport: Cranland
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.0251° N, 70.8381° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at CRANLAND (28M), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0251&lon=-70.8381&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5612Y, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5612Y) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Richard Murphy A600 (registry code 05634P3, https://openairdocs.org/model/richard-murphy-a600) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RICHARD MURPHY A600
- Reported engine: AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 5,000 total, 700 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220513021979I

## Narrative

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

ON MAY 13TH, 2022, THE REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER WAS NOTIFIED THAT AN EXPERIMENTAL HELICOPTER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, CAUGHT FIRE AT CRANLAND AIRPORT LOCATED IN HANSON, MASSACHUSETTS. ACCORDING TO THE PRELIMINARY NOTICE, THE OPERATOR WAS WARMING UP THE ENGINE WHEN HE SMELLED FUEL. THE OPERATOR GOT OUT AND THE HELICOPTER CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE NTSB WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DUE TO THE OPERATOR NOT INTENDING TO FLY, THEY WERE NOT INVOLVED WITH THE INVESTIGATION. THE CRANLAND AIRPORT MANAGER CORROBORATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE HANGAR TO RUN THE ENGINE AS IT HAD NOT BEEN USED RECENTLY.

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, HE TOOK THE HELICOPTER OUT OF THE HANGAR IN ORDER TO RUN THE ENGINE AS HE HAD NOT FLOWN IT RECENTLY. HE NOTED THAT HE HAD NO INTENTION OF FLYING. HE ENTERED THE HELICOPTER AND TURNED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON. HE ATTESTED THAT HE SMELLED FUEL SO HE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER HE EXITED, HE SAID HE REALIZED HE HAD LEFT THE SWITCHES (ABOUT 8 OR 9 OF THEM) ON SO HE WENT BACK TO TURN THEM OFF. AS HE WAS TURNING THE SWITCHES OFF, HE HEARD AN AUDIBLE POP AND A FIRE STARTED. HE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. THE BOTTOM PART OF THE CABIN FRAME WAS VISIBLE BUT THE REST OF THE CABIN WAS NO LONGER EVIDENT. THE ROTOR BLADES WERE BURNED FROM THE ROTOR TO APPROXIMATELY THE MIDDLE OF EACH BLADE. THE PASSENGER-SIDE SKID WAS BURNED. THE BLACKENED AREA STARTS AFTER THE FORWARD STRUT AND EXTENDS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SKID. THE PILOT SIDE SKID DID NOT EXHIBIT SIGNS OF FIRE OR HEAT. THE TAIL SECTION, STARTING AT WHERE THE BACK OF THE CABIN WAS, IS INTACT AND DID NOT SHOW SIGNS OF FIRE OR HEAT. DEBRIS FROM THE FIRE WAS LIMITED TO WITHIN A ROTOR BLADE?S LENGTH AROUND WHERE THE CABIN FRAME WAS LOCATED.

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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