# NTSB ATL02LA042: Louis Edmondson 162F, N162LE, St. Petersburg, FL, January 19, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 19, 2002, 15:05 local (20:05 UTC) - Place: St. Petersburg, FL - Coordinates: 27.764999, -82.626945 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7650&lon=-82.6269&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - Tampa FSDO 35 - NTSB case key (mKey): 54068 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL02LA042 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54068/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54068 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA042 ## Probable cause The pilot's decision to continue flight with demonstrated inadequate takeoff performance capability, which resulted in an in-flight loss of control and subsequent hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - aircraft performance,takeoff capability - inadequate - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - lift-off - continued, pilot in command - Hard landing, takeoff - aborted ## Analysis This was the second attempted liftoff after a previous unsuccessful attempt and subsequent shutdown and check of the helicopter's drive belts. The pilot noticed the helicopter again required "a lot of power." At 10 to 15 feet above the ground, the main rotor rpm dropped. The pilot increased engine power, but the rotor rpm continued to decay. The pilot aborted the takeoff, and the helicopter touched down hard on the right skid. Examination of the helicopter revealed damage to the right front skid, damage to the main rotor system, and separation of the tail boom assembly. The density altitude was estimated to have been 1140 feet at the approximate departure time. The helicopter gross weight is 1500 pounds and the useful load was 425 pounds. Examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction. ## Factual narrative On January 19, 2002, at 1505 eastern standard time, a Louis Edmondson Rotorway 162F helicopter, N162LE, registered to and owned by Louair Associates, Inc., and operated by the commercial pilot, landed hard during an aborted liftoff from Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg, Florida. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The flight was originating from St. Petersburg, Florida, at the time of the accident. According to the pilot, the accident flight was the second flight attempted that afternoon as they attempted a takeoff from runway 18. The pilot stated there was a gusty crosswind, and the nearest weather facility reported winds at 200 degrees magnetic at 16 knots gusting to 23 knots. The density altitude was estimated to have been 1140 feet at the approximate departure time. The helicopter gross weight is 1500 pounds and the useful load was 425 pounds. The pilot reported that the flight was operating near the upper performance limits During liftoff of the first flight, the pilot noticed the helicopter required "a lot of power" to hover. The pilot suspected the drive belts and tail rotor belts were slipping. The pilot returned the helicopter to the hangar, shut it down, and checked the tension of the drive and tail belts. The pilot reported, "everything checked out OK." The pilot decided to start the helicopter again and lifted off and maneuvered to attempt another takeoff. The pilot again noticed the helicopter required "a lot of power." As the pilot lowered the helicopter's nose to continue the takeoff, approximately 10 to 15 feet above the ground, the main rotor rpm dropped. The pilot increased engine power to full, but the rotor rpm continued to decay. The pilot stated the main drive belts slipped. The pilot aborted the takeoff, and the helicopter touched down "harder than normal with about 7 or 8 mph forward speed" on the right front skid. The skid dug into the ground and collapsed, the main rotor blade severed the tail boom, and the helicopter rolled over onto its right side. Examination of the helicopter revealed the right skid was collapsed, the main rotor system sustained damage, and the tail boom assembly was separated. Examination of the drive and tail belts revealed no evidence of burning or fraying. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N162LE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N162LE-2013-08-23), registration cancelled 2013-08-23, S/N RI6137 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Louis Edmondson 162F - Registry model: [Edmondson Louis 162E](https://openairdocs.org/model/edmondson-louis-162e) (registry code 0560264) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter, amateur-built - Serial number: RI6137 - Airframe hours: 41 - Engines: Rotorway RI162F-6095 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: William Patrick Trefny - Registered owner: LouAir Associates, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: SPG, St. Petersburg, FL - Destination: SPG, St. Petersburg, FL - Airport: SPG, Alber Whitted ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: minor; commercial, military; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 14, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 1,150 total, 250 in this make and model, 450 as pilot in command, 41 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 16 knots, gusting 23 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: PIE, 9 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020119000339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020119000339A), Jan 19, 2002: Amtr EXEC162F, St Petersburg, FL, No damage. (.19) On January 19, 2002, at 1505 eastern standard time, a louis edmondson rotorway 162E helicopter, N162LE registered to a private owner landed hard during… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54068. 545 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 428 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380501&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Telephone Conversation with Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 49 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380503&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Telephone%20Conversation%20with%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF - Rotorway Exec 162F Specifications (item 3, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40169398&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Rotorway%20Exec%20162F%20Specifications-Master.PDF - Weather Data (item 4, .PDF, 12 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40169399&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Data-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.