What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 11, 2024, at 1630 local time, an experimental rotorway exec 90 helicopter, privacy data omitted, privacy data omitted flown by a commercial rated pilot sustained substantial damage following a loss of tail rotor control and subsequent impact in a cornfield ¼ mile east of runway 28 at the Plymouth Municipal Airport (C65), Plymouth, Indiana. Daylight VFR meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The training flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. Both the pilot and instructor received minor injuries.
According to the privacy data omitted, he had just purchased the helicopter and was receiving dual instruction at the time of the accident. During the approach to land on runway 28 everything was normal then the aircraft experienced an uncommanded yaw to the left. The pilot initiated an autorotation but, upon touchdown the helicopter rolled on to its right side and came to rest. After impact, the pilot secured the aircraft electrical and fuel systems and egressed from the helicopter with the instructor pilot. There was no post-crash fire.
Investigation shows the helicopter on its right side with extensive damage to all areas of the aircraft and rotor system. Main rotor blades were heavily damaged but remained attached to the rotor hub. Control continuity was established to all flight controls. It was found the tail rotor drive belt had broken and remained under the cowl area.
The aircraft records show the helicopter had received a condition inspection on October 11, 2024, by the privacy data omitted who holds an airframe & powerplant mechanic certificate. At the time of the inspection the aircraft had amassed 231.2 hours total time. Rotorway exec 90 maintenance manual recomends the belt be replaced at 250 hours in servfice. It is unknown if or when the tail rotor drive belt had been replaced.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 11, 2024, AT 1630 LOCAL TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL ROTORWAY EXEC 90 HELICOPTER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLOWN BY A COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT IMPACT IN A CORNFIELD ¼ MILE EAST OF RUNWAY 28 AT THE PLYMOUTH MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (C65), PLYMOUTH, INDIANA. DAYLIGHT VFR METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE TRAINING FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. BOTH THE PILOT AND INSTRUCTOR RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.
ACCORDING TO THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, HE HAD JUST PURCHASED THE HELICOPTER AND WAS RECEIVING DUAL INSTRUCTION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND ON RUNWAY 28 EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL THEN THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN UNCOMMANDED YAW TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION BUT, UPON TOUCHDOWN THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON TO ITS RIGHT SIDE AND CAME TO REST. AFTER IMPACT, THE PILOT SECURED THE AIRCRAFT ELECTRICAL AND FUEL SYSTEMS AND EGRESSED FROM THE HELICOPTER WITH THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE.
INVESTIGATION SHOWS THE HELICOPTER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ALL AREAS OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ROTOR SYSTEM. MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE HEAVILY DAMAGED BUT REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE ROTOR HUB. CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS. IT WAS FOUND THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE BELT HAD BROKEN AND REMAINED UNDER THE COWL AREA.
THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS SHOW THE HELICOPTER HAD RECEIVED A CONDITION INSPECTION ON OCTOBER 11, 2024, BY THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WHO HOLDS AN AIRFRAME & POWERPLANT MECHANIC CERTIFICATE. AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION THE AIRCRAFT HAD AMASSED 231.2 HOURS TOTAL TIME. ROTORWAY EXEC 90 MAINTENANCE MANUAL RECOMENDS THE BELT BE REPLACED AT 250 HOURS IN SERVFICE. IT IS UNKNOWN IF OR WHEN THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE BELT HAD BEEN REPLACED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.