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20241115019939A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Patchin Alan E EXEC 162F · Blaine, MN · November 15, 2024

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Date
November 15, 2024 · 16:50 local
Place
Blaine, MN
Airport
Anoka County-Blaine (Janes Fld
Phase of flight
Taxi
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N280PA
Reported as
Patchin Alan E Exec 162F
Reported engine
Rotorway RI-162F
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
292 total
N280PARegistered now · Patchin Alan E EXEC 162FS/N 6326 · Built 2012Airframe modelPatchin Alan E EXEC 162FEngine modelRotorway RI-162F4 cycle

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 was working on completing hover testing for a few weeks before going to altitude after a long down-time for an engine repair. He preflighted the aircraft, checked all fluids, with fuel stick reading of 4 gallons. Added 5 additional gallons to the left tank for a combined total of 9 gallons on board. Pic's plan was to go sw to the compass rose for hover testing and later some quick stops. Startup and warmup was normal. ATC ground granted permission to air taxi to the compass rose, remaining west of rw 180 and at a low altitude. Hover taxied to the compass rose and did pedal turns, pick ups and set downs for a few minutes. PIC stated that all went well, so he asked ground to hover taxi to the south side. Permission was granted and PIC practiced a few quick stops on the way there and back. PIC was feeling good about both the aircraft and how his skills were improving. He then asked ground to hover taxi back to Montana west. After clearing the swampy area he headed directly toward his hangar and applied slight back pressure to the cyclic to begin to slow. PIC estimated airspeed was 15 mph or less, altitude 25 ft or less. About 25 yards before clearing the mowed area the PIC noticed a sudden loss of power/rpm. Before he could react the aircraft had crashed. PIC quickly turned off all switches. PIC was bleeding from a scalp laceration and transported to the hospital.

As the FAA filed it

PIC WAS WORKING ON COMPLETING HOVER TESTING FOR A FEW WEEKS BEFORE GOING TO ALTITUDE AFTER A LONG DOWN-TIME FOR AN ENGINE REPAIR. HE PREFLIGHTED THE AIRCRAFT, CHECKED ALL FLUIDS, WITH FUEL STICK READING OF 4 GALLONS. ADDED 5 ADDITIONAL GALLONS TO THE LEFT TANK FOR A COMBINED TOTAL OF 9 GALLONS ON BOARD. PIC'S PLAN WAS TO GO SW TO THE COMPASS ROSE FOR HOVER TESTING AND LATER SOME QUICK STOPS. STARTUP AND WARMUP WAS NORMAL. ATC GROUND GRANTED PERMISSION TO AIR TAXI TO THE COMPASS ROSE, REMAINING WEST OF RW 180 AND AT A LOW ALTITUDE. HOVER TAXIED TO THE COMPASS ROSE AND DID PEDAL TURNS, PICK UPS AND SET DOWNS FOR A FEW MINUTES. PIC STATED THAT ALL WENT WELL, SO HE ASKED GROUND TO HOVER TAXI TO THE SOUTH SIDE. PERMISSION WAS GRANTED AND PIC PRACTICED A FEW QUICK STOPS ON THE WAY THERE AND BACK. PIC WAS FEELING GOOD ABOUT BOTH THE AIRCRAFT AND HOW HIS SKILLS WERE IMPROVING. HE THEN ASKED GROUND TO HOVER TAXI BACK TO MONTANA WEST. AFTER CLEARING THE SWAMPY AREA HE HEADED DIRECTLY TOWARD HIS HANGAR AND APPLIED SLIGHT BACK PRESSURE TO THE CYCLIC TO BEGIN TO SLOW. PIC ESTIMATED AIRSPEED WAS 15 MPH OR LESS, ALTITUDE 25 FT OR LESS. ABOUT 25 YARDS BEFORE CLEARING THE MOWED AREA THE PIC NOTICED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER/RPM. BEFORE HE COULD REACT THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED. PIC QUICKLY TURNED OFF ALL SWITCHES. PIC WAS BLEEDING FROM A SCALP LACERATION AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.