What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approx. 11:27LCL at the Space Coast Regional Airport (ktix) Titusville, Florida, N8006A, a helicopter amateur experimental, rotorway exec 162-F, s/n 6708, departed west bound from tix’s south east t-hanger ramp and experienced engine backfiring accompanied with partial power loss at approximately 150FT and 65 mph airspeed. The flight instructor/pilot in command (PIC) stated he turned back towards the airport, declared an emergency, and maneuvered the helicopter towards the grass south of runway 9. Upon touchdown, at approximately 5-10MPH groundspeed, the front left skid dug deeply into the grass, which resulted in a dynamic roll over to the left and came to rest on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage which encompassed: the tail boom, main rotor pylon, main rotor blades, fuselage, and windshield. The helicopter’s damage shows consistency of a dynamic roll over.
Two (2) souls were on board, the flight instructor/pic and the pilot in training which both sustained no injuries.
The aircraft was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91, general aviation flight. The weather at the time of the accident was visual meteorological conditions.
Based on a/w asi’s post-accident engine inspection, a rotorway exec RH600T, s/n 7017, revealed damage to: cylinder #4 spark plugs, cylinder #4 cylinder wall, and cylinder #4 exhaust valve. The cylinder #4 exhaust valve retention clip was not located. Aircraft records indicated the helicopter was within the 25 hour service check (iaw the rhmc mx manual) during time of the accident, approx 7HRS from the next check.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROX. 11:27LCL AT THE SPACE COAST REGIONAL AIRPORT (KTIX) TITUSVILLE, FLORIDA, N8006A, A HELICOPTER AMATEUR EXPERIMENTAL, ROTORWAY EXEC 162-F, S/N 6708, DEPARTED WEST BOUND FROM TIX’S SOUTH EAST T-HANGER RAMP AND EXPERIENCED ENGINE BACKFIRING ACCOMPANIED WITH PARTIAL POWER LOSS AT APPROXIMATELY 150FT AND 65 MPH AIRSPEED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR/PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) STATED HE TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT, DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, AND MANEUVERED THE HELICOPTER TOWARDS THE GRASS SOUTH OF RUNWAY 9. UPON TOUCHDOWN, AT APPROXIMATELY 5-10MPH GROUNDSPEED, THE FRONT LEFT SKID DUG DEEPLY INTO THE GRASS, WHICH RESULTED IN A DYNAMIC ROLL OVER TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHICH ENCOMPASSED: THE TAIL BOOM, MAIN ROTOR PYLON, MAIN ROTOR BLADES, FUSELAGE, AND WINDSHIELD. THE HELICOPTER’S DAMAGE SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF A DYNAMIC ROLL OVER.
TWO (2) SOULS WERE ON BOARD, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR/PIC AND THE PILOT IN TRAINING WHICH BOTH SUSTAINED NO INJURIES.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, GENERAL AVIATION FLIGHT. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
BASED ON A/W ASI’S POST-ACCIDENT ENGINE INSPECTION, A ROTORWAY EXEC RH600T, S/N 7017, REVEALED DAMAGE TO: CYLINDER #4 SPARK PLUGS, CYLINDER #4 CYLINDER WALL, AND CYLINDER #4 EXHAUST VALVE. THE CYLINDER #4 EXHAUST VALVE RETENTION CLIP WAS NOT LOCATED. AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATED THE HELICOPTER WAS WITHIN THE 25 HOUR SERVICE CHECK (IAW THE RHMC MX MANUAL) DURING TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, APPROX 7HRS FROM THE NEXT CHECK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.