# NTSB ATL03LA072: Rotorway 162F, N92AL, Greensboro, NC, March 27, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 27, 2003, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Greensboro, NC - Coordinates: 36.096668, -79.933609 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0967&lon=-79.9336&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Greensboro FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56727 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL03LA072 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56727/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA072 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight planning of fuel required for flight which resulted in fuel exhaustion, and a complete loss of engine power followed by a forced landing, and a dynamic rollover during the autorotative touchdown. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - autorotation - performed, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - ground - Roll over, emergency landing - dynamic rollover - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis According to the pilot, he flew around the airstrip for approximately 45 minutes. After several passes over the airstrip, the pilot reported he received an electronic control unit (ECU) failure indication light. When the engine lost power, the pilot entered an autorotation. During the touchdown phase of the autorotation, the helicopter rolled over on the left side. During the examination of the helicopter no fuel was found in the fuel tanks or at the accident site. The ECU's were sent to be bench tested. The test revealed, the last 30 seconds of the flight indicated an increase in the throttle position with a corresponding decrease of engine RPM, with a rapid cycling during the final 12 seconds prior to the engine completely shutting down. The data retrieved from the ECUs revealed the flight prior to the accident lasted 10 minutes with a three-minute ground run. The accident flight was approximately 57 minutes. The pilot stated that the helicopter fuel tank capacity is 14 gallons, and can fly for 2 hours or 180 miles with full fuel. According to the pilot, the helicopter departed with 14 gallons of automotive fuel. ## Factual narrative On March 27, 2003, at 1800 eastern standard time, a experimental Rotorway 162F, N92AL, registered to and operated by a private pilot had a loss of engine power and collided with terrain during an autorotation near Greensboro, North Carolina. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage, and the pilot was not injured. The flight departed a private strip in Greensboro, North Carolina on March 27, 2003 at 1730. According to the pilot, after the preflight examination of the helicopter was completed, he departed and flew around the airstrip for approximately 45 minutes. After several passes over the airstrip, the pilot received an electronic control unit failure indication light. When the engine lost power, the pilot entered an autorotation. During the touchdown phase of the autorotation, the helicopter rolled over on the left side. Examination of the wreckage site revealed, the helicopter came to rest on the left side. The left skid was collapsed and the tail boom separated from the main fuselage. The airframe of the helicopter was collapsed. There were no fuel leaks found in the fuel system, and no fuel was found in the fuel tanks. There was no evidence of fuel found at the accident site. The pilot did not report any mechanical or flight control malfunctions prior to the accident. The helicopters engine control units (ECU) were sent to Rotorway International to be bench tested. The test revealed, the last 30 seconds of the flight indicated an increase in the throttle position with a corresponding decrease of engine RPM, with a rapid cycling during the final 12 seconds prior to the engine completely shutting down. The data retrieved from the ECUs revealed the flight prior to the accident lasted 10 minutes with a three-minute ground run. The accident flight was approximately 57 minutes. The pilot stated that the helicopter fuel tank capacity is 14 gallons, and can fly for 2 hours or 180 miles with full fuel. According to the pilot, the helicopter departed with 14 gallons of automotive fuel. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N92AL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N92AL-2023-01-17), registration cancelled 2023-01-17, S/N 6619 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Rotorway 162F - Registry model: [Land Raymond Alan EXEC 162 F](https://openairdocs.org/model/land-raymond-alan-exec-162-f) (registry code 05614UJ) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter, amateur-built - Serial number: 6619 - Airframe hours: 16 - Engines: Rotorway 6444-162F 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Raymond A. Land - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: GSO, GREENSBORO, NC ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 350 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: GSO, 10 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 20030327008579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030327008579A), Mar 27, 2003: Landra EXEC162F, Greensboro, NC, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot of the aircraft had been airborne for approximately 45 performing practice maneuvers. While in a descent for landing the pilot noticed a loss… 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.