What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 13, 2025, at approximately 1229 central daylight time, a Gomez Angel, AG-162, experimental amateur built helicopter, had an accident near Hardy field airport (3XA1). The aircraft was departing the airport when they noticed the main rotor head (mrh) rpms started to decrease. The pilot increased the throttle, and raised collective in an attempting to increase the mrh rpms and continue to climb to no avail. The aircraft was at approximately 500’ AGL when the pilot made the decision to perform an autorotation when the rpms failed to increase to an acceptable range. The pilot made a 180° turn and was at approximately 400’ AGL when they entered the autorotation and dropped the collective 2 inches to increase mrh rpms. When the aircraft made initial impact with the ground after the flare the aircraft slid forward 8-10 feet before the left skid got caught in the ground causing the aircraft to nose down and the tail to rise. This resulted in the mrh striking the tail boom and breaking the tail boom. The pilot and passenger were uninjured, and the aircraft was recovered and transported back to the pilot’s personal hangar. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
METAR kdto 131653Z 20010G16KT 10SM clr 29/12 A3000 rmk AO2
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 13, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1229 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A GOMEZ ANGEL, AG-162, EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT HELICOPTER, HAD AN ACCIDENT NEAR HARDY FIELD AIRPORT (3XA1). THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEPARTING THE AIRPORT WHEN THEY NOTICED THE MAIN ROTOR HEAD (MRH) RPMS STARTED TO DECREASE. THE PILOT INCREASED THE THROTTLE, AND RAISED COLLECTIVE IN AN ATTEMPTING TO INCREASE THE MRH RPMS AND CONTINUE TO CLIMB TO NO AVAIL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 500’ AGL WHEN THE PILOT MADE THE DECISION TO PERFORM AN AUTOROTATION WHEN THE RPMS FAILED TO INCREASE TO AN ACCEPTABLE RANGE. THE PILOT MADE A 180° TURN AND WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 400’ AGL WHEN THEY ENTERED THE AUTOROTATION AND DROPPED THE COLLECTIVE 2 INCHES TO INCREASE MRH RPMS. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT MADE INITIAL IMPACT WITH THE GROUND AFTER THE FLARE THE AIRCRAFT SLID FORWARD 8-10 FEET BEFORE THE LEFT SKID GOT CAUGHT IN THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO NOSE DOWN AND THE TAIL TO RISE. THIS RESULTED IN THE MRH STRIKING THE TAIL BOOM AND BREAKING THE TAIL BOOM. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND TRANSPORTED BACK TO THE PILOT’S PERSONAL HANGAR. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
METAR KDTO 131653Z 20010G16KT 10SM CLR 29/12 A3000 RMK AO2
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.